conduce
verbUK /kənˈdjuːs/ · US /kənˈd(j)us/
Etymology
PIE word *ḱóm From Late Middle English conducen (“to guide, lead; (surgery) to draw together (edges of a wound, or parts of a torn sinew); to set (a broken bone)”), borrowed from Latin condūcere, the present active infinitive of condūcō (“to bring, draw, or lead together, assemble, collect; to contribute to something by being useful, be of use, be conducive to”), from con- (prefix denoting a bringing together of several things) + dūcō (“to conduct, guide, lead, lead away”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *dewk- (“to draw, pull; to lead (pull behind oneself)”)). Doublet of conduct and conn.
7 senses
- And vvell aſſured you may be, the King's Highneſs upon Sight of theſe your ſaid Letters, not only much commended your great Diligence and provident Dexterity, in the vviſe conducing of theſe his vveighty Matters, vvhereby ye have deſerved his ſingular Favour and Thanks, but alſo took great Rejoicing, Conſolation and Comfort, in this honourable, princely and loving Demeanour of the ſaid French King: […]1518 (date written), John Strype, quoting Thomas Wolsey, “Wolsey’s Counsil and Influence in the King’s Affairs. …”, in Ecclesiastical Memorials; Relating Chiefly to Religion, and the Reformation of It: Shewing the Various Emergencies of the Church of England, under King Henry the Eighth. […], volume I, London: […] John Wyat, […], published 1721, →OCLC, page 21:
- [T]he King's Grace vvell knovveth, perceiveth, and taketh, that more could not have been done, excogitated, or deviſed, than ye have largely endeavoured your ſelf unto for conducing the King's purpoſe, […]1529 (date written), Gilbert Burnet, “[A Collection of Records and Original Papers; with Other Instruments Referred to in the Former History.] XXIII. Another Dispatch to the Ambassadours to the Same Purpose. A Duplicate.”, in The History of the Reformation of the Church of England. The First Part, […], London: […] T[homas] H[odgkin] for Richard Chiswell, […], published 1679, →OCLC, page 196:
3
Also, Figuratively, Formal, Obsolete To conduct or lead (someone or something).
- At laſt to conduce things to ſome order out of this Chaos of confuſion, their moſt learned Hiſtorian Elifarni, tooke vpon him to make ſtraight theſe crooked poſtures: […]1634, T[homas] H[erbert], “A Discourse of the Life and Habit of the Persians at this Present. [The Eight Commandement. Doe so to Others as Thou wouldest haue Them Doe to Thee.]”, in A Relation of Some Yeares Trauaile, Begunne Anno 1626. into Afrique and the Greater Asia, […], London: […] William Stansby, and Jacob Bloome, →OCLC, page 160:
- VVithin my ſoule there doth conduce a fight / Of this ſtrange nature, that a thing inſeparat, / Diuides more vvider then the skie and earth: […]c. 1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, The Famous Historie of Troylus and Cresseid. […] (First Quarto), London: […] G[eorge] Eld for R[ichard] Bonian and H[enry] Walley, […], published 1609, →OCLC, [Act V, scene ii]:
6
Formal To contribute or lead to a specific result.
- The reaſons you alleadge, do more conduce / To the hot paſſion of diſtempred blood, / Then to make vp a free determination / Tvvixt right and vvrong: […]c. 1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, The Famous Historie of Troylus and Cresseid. […] (First Quarto), London: […] G[eorge] Eld for R[ichard] Bonian and H[enry] Walley, […], published 1609, →OCLC, [Act II, scene ii]:
- The Boaring of Holes, in that kinde of VVood, and then laying it abroad, ſeemeth to conduce to make it Shine: […]1631, Francis [Bacon], “IV. Century. [Experiment Solitary Touching Wood Shining in the Darke.]”, in Sylua Syluarum: Or A Naturall Historie. In Ten Centuries. […], 3rd edition, London: […] William Rawley […]; [p]rinted by J[ohn] H[aviland] for William Lee […], →OCLC, paragraph 352, page 91:
4 more examples
- 'Tis true, if Mythologie, and not demonſtrative reaſons vvere to be fixt upon in matters of Architecture, the former conceptions might be ſome ground to frame conjectures Stoneheng ſacred to Pan. But, Architecture depending upon demonſtration, not fancy, the fictions of Mythologiſts are no further to be embraced, then as not impertinently conducing to prove reall truths.a. 1653 (date written), Inigo Jones, The Most Notable Antiquity of Great Britain, Vulgarly Called Stone-heng on Salisbury Plain. […], London: […] James Flesher for Daniel Pakeman […], and Laurence Chapman […], published 1655, →OCLC, page 96:
- In the Study of Philoſophy men […] endeavour to find out the certainty of ſomething in queſtion; as vvhat is the cauſe of Light, of Heat, of Gravity, of a Figure propounded, and the like; or in vvhat Subject any propounded Accident is inhærent; or vvhat may conduce moſt to the generation of ſome propounded Effect from many Accidents; or in vvhat manner particular Cauſes ought to be compounded for the production of ſome certaine Effect.1656, Thomas Hobbes, “Of Method”, in anonymous translator, Elements of Philosophy, the First Section, Concerning Body. […], London: […] R[obert] & W[illiam] Leybourn for Andrew Crooke, […], →OCLC, part 1 (Computation or Logique), paragraph 3, page 50:
- It [i.e., holy discipline] conduceth to the conviction and ſalvation of the unbelieving vvorld, vvho are not capable of judging of our doctrine by it ſelf, but vvill judge of it by the quality of the Church that doth profeſs it.1658 November 26 (date written; Gregorian calendar), Richard Baxter, “The Necessary Grounds, Ends and Principles of a Universal Concord between All Faithful Pastors and Churches According to Their Capacity of Communion”, in Universal Concord. The First Part. The Sufficient Terms Proposed for the Use of Those that Have Liberty to Use Them: […], London: […] R. W[hite] for Nevil Simmons, […], published 1660, →OCLC, paragraph VII.5, signature [a6], verso:
- Firſt, then, vve vvarn thee not too haſtily to condemn any of the Incidents in this our Hiſtory, as impertinent and foreign to our main Deſign, becauſe thou doſt not immediately conceive in vvhat manner ſuch Incident may conduce to that Deſign.1749, Henry Fielding, “Containing Instructions very Necessary to be Perused by Modern Critics”, in The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling, volume IV, London: A[ndrew] Millar, […], →OCLC, book X, page 2:
- So [Julius Caesar] Scaliger of himſelfe ingenuouſly confeſſeth, […] I am mightily detained and allured vvith that grace & comelineſſe of faire vvomen, I am vvell pleaſed to bee idle amongſt them. And vvhat young man is not? As is acceptable and conducing to moſt, ſo eſpecially to a melancholy man.1624, Democritus Junior [pseudonym; Robert Burton], “Musicke a Remedy”, in The Anatomy of Melancholy: […], 2nd edition, Oxford, Oxfordshire: […] John Lichfield and James Short, for Henry Cripps, →OCLC, partition 2, section 2, member 6, subsection 3, pages 248–249:
- Decoctions are made of Leaves, Roots, Flovvers, Seeds, Fruits, or Barks, conducing to the cure of the Diſease you make them for; in the ſame manner as they are made as vve ſhevved you in Syrups.1652, Nich[olas] Culpeper, “Directions. Sect. 2. The Way of Making and Keeping All Necessary Compounds. Chap. 4. Of Decoctions.”, in The English Physitian: Or An Astrologo-physical Discourse of the Vulgar Herbs of This Nation. […], London: […] Peter Cole, […], →OCLC, page 248, column 1:
1 more example
- [O]nely be mindfull of me and of thirst; Theſe conduce much to the vviſe.1655, Thomas Stanley, “[Simon.]”, in The History of Philosophy. […], volume I, London: […] Humphrey Moseley, and Thomas Dring, […], →OCLC, 3rd part (Containing the Socratick Philosophers), page 119:
- Derived terms
- conduceful, conducement, conducency, conducer, conducing, conducive, conducively, conduciveness, disconduce, disconducive, inconducive, unconducive, unconduciveness