control
n. C / Un. the power to make decisions about how something is run or what someone does. You use this word when talking about being in charge of a situation or operating a machine.
n. the power to influence or direct people's behaviour or the course of events. It can also refer to a mechanical switch or device used to operate a machine.
The teacher struggles to keep control of the noisy classroom.
The pilot takes manual control of the airplane when the automatic system fails during the storm.
The government introduced strict price controls to curb inflation, though economists warned the policy might lead to widespread shortages in the long run.
From Middle English controllen, from Old French contrerole, from Medieval Latin contrārotulum (“a counter-roll or register used to verify accounts”), from Latin contrā (“against, opposite”) + Medieval Latin rotulus, Latin rotula (“roll, a little wheel”), diminutive of rota (“a wheel”). Partly displaced native Old English wealdan and Old English wieldan, whence their merged reflex English wield.
Uncountable when referring to abstract power or authority; countable when referring to physical switches or specific regulations. Often takes the preposition 'over' or 'of'.