regulate

• POS: Verb (transitive)
• HYPHEN: reg=u=late

CIDE DICTIONARY

regulate, v. t. [L. regulatus, p. p. of regulare, fr. regula. See Regular.].

•  To adjust by rule, method, or established mode; to direct by rule or restriction; to subject to governing principles or laws.  [1913 Webster]

  "The laws which regulate the successions of the seasons."  Macaulay.  [1913 Webster]

  "The herdsmen near the frontier adjudicated their own disputes, and regulated their own police."  [1913 Webster]
•  To put in good order; as, to regulate the disordered state of a nation or its finances.  [1913 Webster]
•  To adjust, or maintain, with respect to a desired rate, degree, or condition; as, to regulate the temperature of a room, the pressure of steam, the speed of a machine, etc.  [1913 Webster]

To regulate a watch or To regulate a clock, to adjust its rate of running so that it will keep approximately standard time.

Syn. -- To adjust; dispose; methodize; arrange; direct; order; rule; govern.

OXFORD DICTIONARY

regulate, v.tr.
1 control by rule.
2 subject to restrictions.
3 adapt to requirements.
4 alter the speed of (a machine or clock) so that it may work accurately.

Derivative

regulative adj. regulator n. regulatory adj.

Etymology

LL regulare regulat- f. L regula RULE

THESAURUS

regulate

abate, accommodate, accord, adapt, adjust, adjust to, administer, administrate, alter, arrange, array, assimilate, assimilate to, assuage, attune, authorize, balance, be master, be responsible for, box in, call the shots, call the signals, captain, carry on, chair, chart, circumscribe, codify, command, condition, conduct, constitute, control, cool off, coordinate, cut to, damp, decide, declare lawful, decree, deploy, determine, diminish, direct, discipline, dispose, enact, engineer, equalize, equilibrize, establish, even, fit, fix, flatten, form, formulate, gear to, govern, grade, guide, handle, harmonize, head, head up, hedge, hedge about, hierarchize, homogenize, homologate, homologize, key to, lay out, lead, lead on, leaven, legalize, legislate, legitimate, legitimatize, legitimize, level, limit, line up, maintain, make a regulation, make legal, make plumb, make the rules, make uniform, manage, maneuver, manipulate, marshal, mastermind, measure, methodize, mitigate, moderate, modify, modulate, monitor, narrow, normalize, officer, operate, ordain, order, organize, oversee, pacify, palliate, plan, prescribe, preside over, proportion, pull the strings, put in force, put in tune, qualify, quarterback, quiet, rank, rationalize, reconcile, rectify, reduce, regularize, regulate by, restrain, restrict, right, routinize, rule, run, sanction, season, set, set conditions, set limits, set right, set up, settle, similarize, skipper, smooth, soften, stabilize, stand over, standardize, steer, stereotype, structure, superintend, supervise, symmetrize, sync, synchronize, systematize, tailor, take command, take the lead, temper, tranquilize, trim to, true, true up, tune, tune up, uniformize, validate, wear the pants, wield authority

ROGET THESAURUS

regulate

Agreement

VB be accordant, agree, accord, harmonize, correspond, tally, respond, meet, suit, fit, befit, do, adapt itself to, fall in with, chime in with, square with, quadrate with, consort with, comport with, dovetail, assimilate, fit like a glove, fit to a tittle, fit to a T, match, become one, homologate, consent, render accordant, fit, suit, adapt, accommodate, graduate, adjust, dress, regulate, readjust, accord, harmonize, reconcile, fadge, dovetail, square.

Order

VB be in order, become in order, form, fall in, draw up, arrange itself, range itself, place itself, fall into one's place, take one's place, take one's rank, rally round, adjust, methodize, regulate, systematize.

Arrangement

VB reduce to order, bring into order, introduce order into, rally, arrange, dispose, place, form, put in order, set in order, place in order, set out, collocate, pack, marshal, range, size, rank, group, parcel out, allot, distribute, deal, cast the parts, assign the parts, dispose of, assign places to, assort, sort, sift, riddle, put to rights, set to rights, put into shape, put in trim, put in array, apportion, class, classify, divide, file, string together, thread, register, catalogue, tabulate, index, graduate, digest, grade, methodize, regulate, systematize, coordinate, organize, settle, fix, unravel, disentangle, ravel, card, disembroil, feaze.

Direction

VB direct, manage, govern, conduct, order, prescribe, cut out work for, bead, lead, lead the way, show the way, take the lead, lead on, regulate, guide, steer, pilot, tackle, take the helm, be at the helm, have the reins, handle the reins, hold the reins, take the reins, drive, tool, superintend, supervise, overlook, control, keep in order, look after, see to, legislate for, administer, ministrate, matronize, have the care of, have the charge of, be in charge of, have charge of, take the direction, boss, boss one around, pull the strings, pull the wires, rule, have the direction, hold office, hold the portfolio, preside, preside at the board, take the chair, occupy the chair, be in the chair, pull the stroke oar, tend towards, bend towards, point towards, conduct to, go to, point to, point at, bend, trend, verge, incline, dip, determine, steer for, steer towards, make for, make towards, aim at, level at, take aim, keep a course, hold a course, be bound for, bend one's steps towards, direct one's course, steer one's course, bend one's course, shape one's course, align one's march, allign one's march, to straight, go straight to the point, march on, march on a point, ascertain one's direction, s'orienter, see which way the wind blows, box the compass, take the air line.

Legality

VB legalize, enact, ordain, decree, pass a law, enact a regulation, legislate, codify, formulate, regulate.