conductor

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: con=duc=tor

CIDE DICTIONARY

conductor, n. [LL., a carrier, transporter, L., a lessee.].

•  One who, or that which, conducts; a leader; a commander; a guide; a manager; a director.  [1913 Webster]

  "Zeal, the blind conductor of the will."  [1913 Webster]
•  One in charge of a public conveyance, as of a railroad train or a street car.  [1913 Webster]
•  The leader or director of an orchestra or chorus.  [1913 Webster]
•  A substance or body capable of being a medium for the transmission of certain forces, esp. heat or electricity; specifically, a lightning rod.  [1913 Webster]
•  A grooved sound or staff used for directing instruments, as lithontriptic forceps, etc.; a director.  [1913 Webster]
•  Same as Leader.  [1913 Webster]

Prime conductor (Elec.), the largest conductor of an electrical machine, serving to collect, accumulate, or retain the electricity.

OXFORD DICTIONARY

conductor, n.
1 a person who directs the performance of an orchestra or choir etc.
2 (fem. conductress) a a person who collects fares in a bus etc. b US an official in charge of a train.
3 Physics a a thing that conducts or transmits heat or electricity, esp. regarded in terms of its capacity to do this (a poor conductor). b = lightning-conductor.
4 a guide or leader.
5 a manager or director.

Idiom

conductor rail a rail transmitting current to an electric train etc.

Derivative

conductorship n.

Etymology

ME f. F conducteur f. L conductor (as conduct)

THESAURUS

conductor

Kapellmeister, Mahdi, administrator, agent, baggage man, bakehead, band leader, band major, bandmaster, bell cow, bell mare, bellwether, bodyguard, born leader, brakeman, brakie, butcher, cavalier, chaperon, charismatic leader, choirmaster, choragus, companion, conductance, conduction, conductivity, convoy, coryphaeus, deputy, dielectric, directeur, director, dispatcher, driver, drum major, duce, duenna, electric conduction, engineer, escort, esquire, fellow traveler, file leader, fireman, footplate man, forerunner, fugleman, functionary, gas conduction, governor, guard, handler, impresario, inspired leader, insulator, intendant, ionic conduction, leader, leader of men, lineman, liquid conduction, manager, manipulator, messiah, metallic conduction, mho, nonconductor, operant, operative, operator, orchestra leader, pacemaker, pacesetter, photoconduction, pilot, porter, precentor, producer, railroad man, railroader, rector, redcap, responsible person, ringleader, runner, safe-conduct, semiconductor, shepherd, smoke agent, squire, standard-bearer, stationmaster, steersman, stoker, supercargo, superconductivity, superconductor, swain, switchman, symphonic conductor, torchbearer, trainboy, trainman, trainmaster, usher, yardman, yardmaster

ROGET THESAURUS

conductor

Director

N director, manager, governor, rector, comptroller, superintendent, supervisor, straw boss, intendant, overseer, overlooker, supercargo, husband, inspector, visitor, ranger, surveyor, aedile, moderator, monitor, taskmaster, master, leader, ringleader, demagogue, corypheus, conductor, fugleman, precentor, bellwether, agitator, caporal, choregus, collector, file leader, flugelman, linkboy, guiding star, adviser, guide, pilot, helmsman, steersman, steermate, wire-puller, driver, whip, Jehu, charioteer, coachman, carman, cabman, postilion, vetturino, muleteer, arriero, teamster, whipper in, head, head man, head center, boss, principal, president, speaker, chair, chairman, chairwoman, chairperson, captain, superior, mayor, vice president, prime minister, premier, vizier, grand vizier, eparch, officer, functionary, minister, official, red-tapist, bureaucrat, man in office, Jack in office, office bearer, person in authority, statesman, strategist, legislator, lawgiver, politician, statist, statemonger, Minos, Draco, arbiter, boss, political dictator, board, secretary, secretary of state, Reis Effendi, vicar, steward, factor, agent, bailiff, middleman, foreman, clerk of works, landreeve, factotum, major-domo, seneschal, housekeeper, shepherd, croupier, proctor, procurator, ex officio.

Traveler

N traveler, wayfarer, voyager, itinerant, passenger, commuter, tourist, excursionist, explorer, adventurer, mountaineer, hiker, backpacker, Alpine Club, peregrinator, wanderer, rover, straggler, rambler, bird of passage, gadabout, gadling, vagrant, scatterling, landloper, waifs and estrays, wastrel, foundling, loafer, tramp, tramper, vagabond, nomad, Bohemian, gypsy, Arab, Wandering Jew, Hadji, pilgrim, palmer, peripatetic, somnambulist, emigrant, fugitive, refugee, beach comber, booly, globegirdler, globetrotter, vagrant, hobo, night walker, sleep walker, noctambulist, runabout, straphanger, swagman, swagsman, trecker, trekker, zingano, zingaro, runner, courier, Mercury, Iris, Ariel, comet, pedestrian, walker, foot passenger, cyclist, wheelman, rider, horseman, equestrian, cavalier, jockey, roughrider, trainer, breaker, driver, coachman, whip, Jehu, charioteer, postilion, postboy, carter, wagoner, drayman, cabman, cabdriver, voiturier, vetturino, condottiere, engine driver, stoker, fireman, guard, chauffeur, conductor, engineer, gharry-wallah, gari-wala, hackman, syce, truckman, on the road.

Carrier

N carrier, porter, bearer, tranter, conveyer, cargador, express, expressman, stevedore, coolie, conductor, locomotive, motor, beast, beast of burden, cattle, horse, nag, palfrey, Arab, blood horse, thoroughbred, galloway, charger, courser, racer, hunter, jument, pony, filly, colt, foal, barb, roan, jade, hack, bidet, pad, cob, tit, punch, roadster, goer, racehorse, pack horse, draft horse, cart horse, dray horse, post horse, ketch, Shetland pony, shelty, sheltie, garran, garron, jennet, genet, bayard, mare, stallion, gelding, bronco, broncho, cayuse, creature, critter, cow pony, mustang, Narraganset, waler, stud, Pegasus, Bucephalus, Rocinante, ass, donkey, jackass, mule, hinny, sumpter horse, sumpter mule, burro, cuddy, ladino, reindeer, camel, dromedary, llama, elephant, carrier pigeon, pallet, brace, cart, dolley, support, fork lift, carriage, ship, equine, asinine.