conduct

Etymology

From Late Latin conductus (“defense, escort”), from Latin conductus, perfect passive participle of condūcō (“bring together”); see also conduce. Doublet of conduit.

noun

1. The act or method of controlling or directing.
   the conduct of the state, the administration of its affairs, its policy, and its laws, are for more uncertain 1843, Henry Brougham, Political Philosophy
2. Skillful guidance or management.
   1722 (first printed) Edmund Waller, Poems, &c. written upon several occasions, and to several persons Conduct of armies is a prince's art.
3. Behaviour; the manner of behaving.
   Good conduct will be rewarded and likewise poor conduct will be punished.
4. (of a literary work) Plot.
   The book of Job, indeed, in conduct and diction, bears a considerable resemblance to some of his dramas. c. 1800, Thomas Macaulay, Essays, critical and miscellaneous
5. (obsolete) Convoy; escort; person who accompanies another.
6. (archaic) Something which carries or conveys anything; a channel; an instrument; a conduit.
7. (Anglicanism, obsolete outside fixed titles) A priest hired to hold services without secure title; now a chaplain.
   […] at this present it is one of the most goodly and uniform Colledges in Europe; wherein is a Master, 60 Fellows, 67 scholars, 4 Conducts, 3 Publique Professours […] besides officers and servants of the foundation, with many other students, being in all 440. 1634, “Trinitie Colledge”, in The foundation of the Universitie of Cambridge […] Anno 1634
   Cory in 1722 obtained a licence of non-residence from Bishop Fleetwood, his patron, he being at that time one of the conducts, or chaplains, of King’s College. 1859, William Keatinge Clay, A History of the Parish of Waterbeach in the County of Cambridge, page 68
   The Rev Charles Mitchell-Innes, Conduct of Eton College, officiated, assisted by Mr Ralph Allwood, Precentor. 8 November 2003, “Memorial Services”, in The Times

verb

1. (archaic, transitive) To lead, or guide; to escort.
2. (transitive) To lead; to direct; to be in charge of (people or tasks)
   The commander conducted thousands of troops.
   to conduct the affairs of a kingdom
3. (transitive, reflexive) To behave.
   He conducted himself well.
4. (transitive) To serve as a medium for conveying; to transmit (heat, light, electricity, etc.)
   Water and many other liquids do not conduct heat well. Wildland fuels in general, wood, and wood products conduct heat slowly, and so do soil and rocks. 1975, Clive M. Countryman, Heat-Its Role in Wildland Fire, Part 2
   The metal easily conducts electricity and doesn't rust in water, properties that have made it valuable in uses from household plumbing and electric wiring September 20, 2011, Matt Day, Tatyana Shumsky, “Copper Falls to 2011 Lows”, in Wall Street Journal
5. (transitive, music) To direct, as the leader in the performance of a musical composition.
   For a while, Walter Pohlmann, a well-known German conductor, conducted the orchestra in Compound 3. Later, Willi Mets, who had conducted the world-renowned Leipzig Symphony Orchestra, conducted the Compound 3 orchestra. 2006, Michael R. Waters, Mark Long, William Dickens, Lone Star Stalag: German Prisoners of War at Camp Hearne
6. (intransitive) To act as a conductor (as of heat, electricity, etc.); to carry.
7. (transitive) To carry out (something organized)
   The world's largest surveyor of deepwater oil fields won a contract to conduct a survey of the French Gulf of Lion to map sand reserves. September 11, 2011, “Fugro, Royal Philips Electronics: Benelux Equity Preview”, in San Francisco Chronicle