WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026con•duct /n. ˈkɑndʌkt; v. kənˈdʌkt/USA pronunciation
n. [uncountable]
- personal behavior;
deportment:immature conduct during class.
- the way something is organized or carried out;
management:the conduct of a business.
- the act of leading;
guidance;
escort:promised him safe conduct out of the country.
v.
- to behave or manage (oneself ):[~ + oneself]conducted themselves well at the ceremonies.
- to direct in action or course;
manage;
carry on:[~ + object]conducted the family business.
- to direct (an orchestra, etc.) as leader: [no object]A famous maestro is conducting in tonight's concert.[~ + object]conducted the school orchestra for years.
- [~ + object] to lead or guide;
escort: to conduct a tour.
- Physics[~ + object] to serve as a channel for (heat, etc.);
allow to pass through: Copper conducts electricity.
con•duct•i•bil•i•ty /kənˌdʌktəˈbɪlɪti/USA pronunciation n. [uncountable]
con•duct•i•ble, adj. See -duc-.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026con•duct
(n. kon′dukt;v. kən dukt′),USA pronunciation n.
- personal behavior;
way of acting;
bearing or deportment.
- direction or management;
execution:the conduct of a business.
- the act of conducting;
guidance;
escort:The curator's conduct through the museum was informative.
- [Obs.]a guide;
an escort.
v.t.
- to behave or manage (oneself ):He conducted himself well.
- to direct in action or course;
manage;
carry on:to conduct a meeting; to conduct a test.
- to direct (an orchestra, chorus, etc.) as leader.
- to lead or guide;
escort:to conduct a tour.
- Physicsto serve as a channel or medium for (heat, electricity, sound, etc.):Copper conducts electricity.
v.i.
- to lead.
- to act as conductor, esp. of a musical group.
- Latin as above; see conduit
- Anglo-French
- Medieval Latin conductus escort, noun, nominal use of Latin conductus (past participle of condūcere to conduce), equivalent. to con- con- + duc- lead + -tus past participle suffix; replacing Middle English conduyt(e)
- late Middle English 1250–1300
1. demeanor, comportment, actions, manners. See behavior. 2. guidance, administration. 5. deport, bear. 6. supervise, administer. 8. See guide.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
conduct n /ˈkɒndʌkt/- the manner in which a person behaves; behaviour
- the way of managing a business, affair, etc; handling
- rare the act of guiding or leading
vb /kənˈdʌkt/- (transitive) to accompany and guide (people, a party, etc) (esp in the phrase conducted tour)
- (transitive) to lead or direct (affairs, business, etc); control
- (transitive) to do or carry out: conduct a survey
- (transitive) to behave or manage (oneself)
- to control or guide (an orchestra, choir, etc) by the movements of the hands or a baton
- to transmit (heat, electricity, etc)
Etymology: 15th Century: from Medieval Latin conductus escorted, from Latin: drawn together, from condūcere to conduceconˈductible adj conˌductiˈbility n
'conducting' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):