Regulate
/ˈɹɛɡjəleɪt/ verb
verb ·Common ·Middle school level
Definitions
Verb
- 1 To dictate policy.
- 2 restrain the emission of (sound, fluid, etc.) wordnet
- 3 To control or direct according to rule, principle, or law.
"the laws which regulate the succession of the seasons"
- 4 fix or adjust the time, amount, degree, or rate of wordnet
- 5 To adjust (a mechanism) for accurate and proper functioning.
"to regulate a watch, i.e. adjust its rate of running so that it will keep approximately standard time"
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- 6 shape or influence; give direction to wordnet
- 7 To put or maintain in order.
"to regulate the disordered state of a nation or its finances"
- 8 bring into conformity with rules or principles or usage; impose regulations wordnet
Example
More examples"Traffic lights are used to regulate traffic."
Etymology
Borrowed from Latin regulatus, perfect passive participle of regulō (“to direct, rule, regulate”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), from regula (“rule”), from regō (“to keep straight, direct, govern, rule”). Compare regle, rail. Displaced native Old English metegian.