Emily Dickinson Lexicon

CON-TRIVE', v.i.

To form or design; to plan; to scheme; as, how shall we contrive to hide our shame? [This verb is really transitive, but followed by a verb, in the place of an object or name.]

CON-TRIVE', v.t. [Fr. controuver; con and trouver, to find; It. controvare.]

1. To invent; to devise; to plan. Our poet has always some beautiful design, which he first establishes, and then contrives the means which will naturally conduct him to his end. – Dryden.
2. To wear out. [Obs.] – Spenser. [This must be from the L. contero, contrivi, and if the French controuver, and Italian controvare, are the same word differently applied, the primary sense is, to invent by rubbing, that is, by ruminating; or to strike out, as in forge. But the word is probably from trouver, to find.]

CON-TRIV'ED, pp.

Invented; planned; devised.

CON-TRIVE'MENT, n.

Contrivance; invention.

CON-TRIV'ER, n.

An inventor; one who plans or devises; a schemer. – Swift. Shak.

CON-TRIV'ING, ppr.

Planning; forming in design.

CON-TROL', n. [Fr. controlle, a counter register; contre and rolle, a roll, list or catalogue; Arm. counter roll.]

1. Primarily, a book register or account, kept to correct or check another account or register; a counter register. Hence, check; restraint; as, to speak or to act without control. The wind raged without control. Our passions should be under the control of reason.
2. Power; authority; government; command. Children should be under the control of their parents. The events of life are not always under our control.
3. He or that which restrains. – Burke.

CON-TROL', v.t.

1. To keep under check by a counter register or double account, The proper officer controls the accounts of the treasury.
2. To check; to restrain; to govern. I feel my virtue struggling in my soul; / But stronger passion does its power control. – Dryden.
3. To overpower; to subject to authority; to counteract; to have under command. The course of events can not be controlled by human wisdom or power.
4. To direct or govern in opposition; to have superior force, or authority over. A recital can not control the plain words in the granting part of a deed. – Johnson's Reports.

CON-TROL'LA-BLE, a.

That may be controlled, checked or restrained; subject to command. Passion is the drunkenness of the mind, and not always controllable by reason. – South.

CON-TROL'LED, pp.

Checked; restrained; governed.

CON-TROL'LER, n. [Norm. countre-rouler.]

1. One who controls, or restrains; one that has the power or authority to govern or control. The great controller of our fate / Design'd to be man, and lived in low estate. – Dryden.
2. An officer appointed to keep a counter register of accounts, or to oversee, control or verify the accounts of other officers; as, in Great Britain, the controller of the hanaper, of the household, of the pipe, and of the pells. In the United States, the duty of the controller of the treasury is to superintend the adjustment and preservation of the public accounts; to examine all accounts settled by the auditor, and certify to the register the balances due thereon; to countersign all warrants drawn by the secretary of the treasury which shall be warranted by law; to report to the secretary the official forms of all papers to be issued in the different offices for collecting the public revenue, and the manner and form of keeping and stating the accounts of the persons employed in them, &c. Stat. of the United States.

CON-TROL'LER-SHIP, n.

The office of a controller.

CON-TROL'LING, ppr.

Checking; governing.

CON-TROL'MENT, n.

1. The power or act of controlling; the state of being restrained; control; restraint.
2. Opposition; resistance; counteraction; refutation. For this word, control is now generally used.

CON-TRO-VERS'A-RY, a.

Disputatious. – Bp. Hall.

CON'TRO-VERSE, n. [and v.]

Controversy, and to dispute. [Obs.]

CON'TRO-VER-SER, or CON'TRO-VER-SOR, n.

A disputant. [Obs.] – Mountagu.

CON-TRO-VER'SIAL, a. [See Controvert, Controversy.]

Relating to disputes; as, a controversial discourse.

CON-TRO-VER'SIAL-IST, n.

One who carries on a controversy; a disputant. [The proper word is Controvertist, which see.]

CON-TRO-VER'SIAL-LY, adv.

In a controversial manner.

CON-TRO-VER'SION, n.

Act of controverting.

CON'TRO-VER-SY, n. [L. controversia. See Controvert.]

1. Dispute; debate; agitation of contrary opinions. A dispute is commonly oral, and a controversy in writing. Johnson. Dispute is often or generally a debate of short duration, a temporary debate; a controversy is often oral, and sometimes continued in books or in law for months or years. This left no room for controversy, about the title. – Locke. Without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness. – 1 Tim. iii.
2. A suit in law; a case in which opposing parties contend for their respective claims before a tribunal. And by their word shall every controversy and every stroke be tried. – Deut. xxi.
3. Dispute; opposition carried on. The Lord hath controversy with the nations. – Jer. xxv.
4. Opposition; resistance. And stemming [the torrent] with hearts of controversy. – Shak.

CON'TRO-VERT, v.t. [L. controverto, controversor; contra and verto, verso, to turn. Literally, to turn against.]

To dispute; to oppose by reasoning; to contend against in words or writings; to deny and attempt to disprove or confute; to agitate contrary opinions; as, to controvert opinions or principles; to controvert the justness of a conclusion.

CON'TRO-VERT-ED, pp.

Disputed; opposed in debate.

CON'TRO-VERT-ER, n.

One who controverts; a controversial writer. – B. Jonson.