Con"duct (?), n. [LL. conductus defense, escort, fr. L. conductus, p. p. of conducere. See Conduce, and cf. Conduit.] 1. The act or method of conducting; guidance; management.
Christianity has humanized the conduct of war.
Paley.
The conduct of the state, the administration of its affairs.
Ld. Brougham.
2. Skillful guidance or management; generalship.
Conduct of armies is a prince's art.
Waller.
Attacked the Spaniards . . . with great impetuosity, but with so little conduct, that his forces were totally routed.
Robertson.
3. Convoy; escort; guard; guide. [Archaic]
I will be your conduct.
B. Jonson.
In my conduct shall your ladies come.
Shak.
4. That which carries or conveys anything; a channel; a conduit; an instrument. [Obs.]
Although thou been conduct of my chame.
Shak.
5. The manner of guiding or carrying one's self; personal deportment; mode of action; behavior.
All these difficulties were increased by the conduct of Shrewsbury.
Macaulay.
What in the conduct of our life appears
So well designed, so luckily begun,
But when we have our wish, we wish undone?
Dryden.
6. Plot; action; construction; manner of development.
The book of Job, in conduct and diction.
Macaulay.
Conduct money Naut., a portion of a seaman's wages retained till the end of his engagement, and paid over only if his conduct has been satisfactory.
Syn. -- Behavior; deportment; demeanor; bearing; management; guidance. See Behavior.
© Webster 1913.
Con*duct" (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Conducted; p. pr. & vb. n. Conducting.] [See Conduct, n.] 1. To lead, or guide; to escort; to attend.
I can conduct you, lady, to a low
But loyal cottage, where you may be safe.
Milton.
2. To lead, as a commander; to direct; to manage; to carry on; as, to conduct the affairs of a kingdom.
Little skilled in the art of conducting a siege.
Prescott.
3. To behave; -- with the reflexive; as, he conducted himself well.
4. Physics To serve as a medium for conveying; to transmit, as heat, light, electricity, etc.
5. Mus. To direct, as the leader in the performance of a musical composition.
© Webster 1913.
Con*duct", v. i. 1. To act as a conductor (as of heat, electricity, etc.); to carry.
2. To conduct one's self; to behave. [U. S.]
© Webster 1913. | 
