Forms: α. 3–6 conduyt(e, 3 condut, 4 cunduyt, 4–5 condute, 5 conduytte, condwyte, 5–7 conduit(e, 6 conduict(e, -uycte, counduit. β. 3–5 condyt, 4–6 -dit(e, (4 coundyte, cundeth, 5 condythe, Sc. condet, -eyt, 6 cunndyȝt, Sc. conditt, -dict. γ. 5–7 conducte, (Sc. conduke, -doke), 6– conduct. (Some of the variants are found only in SAFE-CONDUCT, q.v.) [Two original types of the word have existed in Eng., viz. conduit, conduite from OF., and the current conduct immed. from L. conduct-us (4th decl.), f. ppl. stem of condūcĕre to CONDUCT, CONDUCE. The former was partly a. OF. conduit (= Pr. conduch, Sp. conducto, It. condotto):—L. conduct-us, as above; partly a. OF. conduite (Sp. conducta, It. condotta):—late L. type *conducta, sb. fem. f. pa. pple. (corresp. to nouns in -āta). These two sbs. remain distinct in F., but through the obsolescence of final -e, they fell together in ME. conduyt(e. This was often phonetically weakened to condute, condyt(e; in 15th c. it was frequently, like the Fr., spelt conduict, conduycte (the c being inserted from L.), and finally in 16th c. was entirely refashioned after L., as conducte, conduct. The earlier form remains with a differentiation of sense: see CONDUIT.]
I. 1. The action of conducting or leading; guidance, leading. a. of the person or thing that leads. lit. and fig. (Now somewhat rare.)
α. c. 1534. trans. Pol. Verg. Eng. Hist. (Camden), I. 108. Thei camen home under the conduite of their lodesmanne Fergusius.
1560. Daus, trans. Sleidane’s Comm., 312 b. Through Gods conduite … we wyll prosecute our right.
γ. 1555. Eden, Decades, 88. Sent by the conduct of certeyne of Careta his men.
1594. Spenser, Amoretti, xxxiv. As a ship, that through the Ocean wyde, By conduct of some star, doth make her way.
1632. Lithgow, Trav., I. (1682), 21. The Trojanes, under conduct of Æneus.
1656. R. Robinson, Christ all, 157. It doth not become a sheep to refuse the Shepherd’s conduct.
1759. Johnson, Rasselas, xxviii. Travelling together under the conduct of chance.
1782. W. Gilpin, Wye (1789), 55. Under his conduct we climbed the steep.
b. of that which is led. (In quot. with mixture of sense 5.)
1885. Manch. Guard., 20 July, 57. His conduct of the Redistribution Bill through the House of Commons.
† 2. Provision for guidance or conveyance; a company of attendants appointed to conduct a person safely on a journey; an escort, a convoy; a document granted to ensure safe passage. Obs. exc. in SAFE-CONDUCT, q.v.
α. c. 1290. Lives Saints (1887), 145. Þe king … sende with him guod conduyt [s.v. condut] to bringe him þare.
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron. (1810), 260. Þe messengers went, condute he did þam haue.
c. 1400. Maundev. (1839), xvii. 182. Men may envirowne all the erthe … that hadde companye and schippynge and conduyt.
1503–4. Act 19 Hen. VII., c. 27, Preamb. Sufficient conduyt to be hade for sure conveyaunce of the Marchaundises.
a. 1661. Fuller, Worthies (1840), III. 387. When conduits did both French and Spanish speak.
β. 1297. R. Glouc. (1724), 40. He sende hem by god condyt in to Yrlond.
a. 1400[?]. Morte Arth., 475. Quod the kynge, thy coundyte es knawene ffro Carlelele to the coste.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 11437. By cundeth to come.
c. 1470. Henry, Wallace, VIII. 1500. The consaill sone a condeyt gaiff him till. Ibid., XI. 912. The lyoun in wax that suld his condet be.
1533. Bellenden, Livy, III. (1822), 235. Nocht to departe but his licence and conditt.
γ. 1560. Rolland, Crt. Venus, II. 917. I haif … Ane fre Conduct to suffice him and me.
1611. Shaks., Cymb., III. v. 8. I desire of you A Conduct ouer Land, to Milford-Hauen.
1611. Bible, 1 Esdras viii. 51. For I was ashamed to aske the king footmen, & horsemen, and conduct for safegard against our aduersaries.
1684. Bunyan, Pilgr., II. 204. The thoughts of what I am going to, and of the Conduct that waits for me on the other side.
1693. Mem. Cnt. Teckely, III. 6. A Detachment of five hundred of his Men, whom he had appointed as a Conduct of Petrozzi.
† 3. A person or thing that conducts or escorts; a guide, leader, conductor (lit. and fig.). Obs.
1423. James I., Kingis Q., cxiii. I will that Gud-hope servand to the be … thy condyt and gyde till thou returne.
1523. Ld. Berners, Froissart, I. lxxvii. 99. Noble prince, quoth the lady, God ye father glorious be your conduct!
1592. Shaks., Rom. & Jul., V. iii. 116. Come bitter conduct, come vnsauoury guide.
1599. Greene, Orpharion, Wks. 1882, XII. 46. Three seuerall Battalions, whereof the Kings in person were Conducts.
1684. Bunyan, Pilgr., II. 102. I have also been a Conduct to several Pilgrims.
transf. 1794. Adams, Nat. & Exp. Philos., II. xiii. 10. It [water] is the easy and speedy medium, the ready conduct and conveyance, whereby all redundancies are carried off.
4. Short for CONDUCT-MONEY. Obs.
1644–1721. [see COAT sb. 12].
II. 5. The leading or commanding of an army, a vessel, etc.; leadership, command; management.
a. of the army, etc., led. (Now somewhat rare.)
α. a. 1470. Tiptoft, Caesar, iv. (1530), 5. To espye and consyder the condute of hys enemyes.
1568. Grafton, Chron., II. 504. To view and espie both the number and conduit of the English men.
1589. Puttenham, Eng. Poesie, I. iv. (Arb.), 159. Conduict of whole armies.
γ. 1601. Holland, Pliny, I. 194. The conduct of the arrere-guard.
1665. Manley, Grotius’ Low-C. Warres, 103. The Duke of Parma took the Conduct of the Army.
1769. Robertson, Chas. V., V. II. 284. The conduct of these troops was committed to Andrew de Foix.
1812. Examiner, 9 Nov., 720/1. Palm then took the Conduct of the vessel.
† b. of the person commanding. Obs.
α. 1529. Rastell, Pastyme, Hist. France (1811), 74. Frenchemen, with the conduit of certeyn dukis, went [etc.].
1575. Brieff Disc. Troub. Franckford, 186. Beinge in the conduite off the lion off the tribe off Juda.
γ. 1588. Shaks., Tit. A., IV. iv. 65. They hither march amaine, vnder conduct of Lucius.
1649. Milton, Eikon., 122. The Parlament durst not leave an Army to his conduct.
1726. Cavallier, Mem., II. 153. My Men … reposed great Confidence in my Conduct.
1774. J. Bryant, Mythol., I. 380. The emigrants from most parts went under their conduct.
6. The action or manner of conducting, directing, managing, or carrying on (any business, performance, process, course, etc.); direction, management. † Formerly said of the management of a fan, cane, or other article carried.
a. of the business, or thing; or absol.
α. 1454. Paston Lett., No. 222. I. 310. That by your wysdom and gode conduyt that ye wolde help beere owte thys mater.
1490. Caxton, Eneydos, xiv. 52. Iuno takynge in hande the conduytte of this werke.
1530. Palsgr., 208/1. Conduycte of a mater.
1548–50. Hall, Chron. Hen. V., 50. The conduyt and ordre of thys dolorous dole [Hen. V.’s funeral].
γ. 1612. Bacon, Ess. Youth & Age (Arb.), 258. Young men in the conduct and mannage of Actions, embrace more then they can hold, [etc.].
1634. W. Tirwhyt, trans. Balzac’s Lett., 30. More trouble then you should find in governing the whole world, if God had left it to your conduct.
1712–4. Pope, Rape Lock, IV. 124. Of amber snuff-box justly vain, And the nice conduct of a clouded cane.
1734. trans. Rollin’s Anc. Hist. (1827), I. 139. May serve us for models in the conduct of our lives.
1844. Arnold, in Stanley, Life & Corr., I. vii. 332. Those engaged in the conduct of the school.
1860. Emerson (title), The Conduct of Life.
1862. Merivale, Rom. Emp. (1865), V. xli. 95. Directions were given for the conduct of the handkerchief.
1888. Bryce, Amer. Commw., II. l. 269. Nothing to do with the conduct of city affairs.
† b. of the person conducting. Obs. rare.
1475. Bk. Noblesse (1860), 7. It most be done … by the conduyt and counceile of the most sage approuved men of a reaume.
1685. Baxter, Paraphr. N. T., Acts i. 23. Chosen by all the Company, but by the Conduct of the Apostles.
† c. Gardening. Management of plants in cultivation; culture. Obs.
1719. London & Wise, Compl. Gard., xxxii. (heading), Of the Conduct or Culture of Fig-trees.
1772. Ann. Reg., 117. It is true, such a conduct cannot, like the culture of corn and grass, be general.
d. Painting. Management of the parts of a work of art; mode of treatment, execution. Also transf. of literary work. (Cf. CONDUCT v. 7.)
1758. H. Walpole, Catal. Royal Authors (1759), I. 23. All the subjects were religious; all the conduct farcical.
1786. Sir J. Reynolds, Disc., xiii. (1876), 77. He perfectly understood … the conduct of the back-ground.
1790. Cath. Graham, Lett. Educ., 147. The conduct of her story is well conceived.
1825. Macaulay, Ess. Milton (1854), I. 7. The book of Job … in conduct and diction, bears a considerable resemblance to some of his [Æschylus’] dramas.
1859. Gullick & Timbs, Paint., 146. Respecting the conduct of works in fresco.
† 7. Aptitude for leadership or management; good generalship; skill in managing affairs; practical tact and address; discretion. Obs.
This was the main sense in the 17th c., when the apposition or contrast of courage and conduct was one of the commonplaces of biography.
α. a. 1533. Ld. Berners, Huon, i. 1. God had gyuen hym the … wyt and conduyt so to do.
1565–73. Cooper, Thesaurus, s.v. Auspicium, By his manhode and conduite.
γ. 1601. Holland, Pliny, I. 169. A generall of command & conduct.
1648. Evelyn, Corr. (1857), III. 13. Some person of conduct and quality.
1670. Cotton, Espernon, I. IV. 165. No ways inferiour to his Adversary either in Courage, or Conduct.
1700. Dryden, Fables, Ajax & Ul., 591. Thus conduct won the prize when courage fail’d.
1722. De Foe, Plague (1756), 252. Owing to the Prudence and Conduct of the Lord Mayor.
1776. Gibbon, Decl. & F., I. i. 19. The various tribes of Britons possessed valour without conduct.
1815. Wellington, in Gurw., Disp., XII. 483. His Royal Highness … distinguished himself by his gallantry and conduct.
8. Manner of conducting oneself or one’s life; behavior; usually with more or less reference to its moral quality (good or bad). (Now the leading sense.) [So F. conduite in Corneille, 1651.]
1673. S. C., Art of Complaisance, xii. 132. In the Comœdies of Terence, a father speaking of the conduct of his son, says that till then, he had had no cause to complain.
c. 1709. Lady M. W. Montague, Lett. (1803), I. 128. Such conduct is full as base as beating a poor wretch who has his hands tied. Ibid. (1710), Lett., 25 April. Ibid. (1721), Lett. to C’tess Mar (Bohn), II. 331. His conduct towards me is … infamous.
1729. Butler, Serm., Pref. Wks. 1874, II. 16. That we bring our whole conduct before this superior faculty.
1755. Johnson, Behaviour … 5 Conduct; general practice.
1774. Goldsm., Retal., 46. His conduct still right, with his argument wrong.
1777. Burke, Lett. Sheriffs of Bristol, Wks. 1842, I. 221. I trusted to profession, when I ought to have attended to conduct.
1856. Froude, Hist. Eng. (1858), I. iii. 242. The clergy … claimed the privileges of saints, while their conduct fell below the standard of that of ordinary men.
b. (with a) A piece of behavior, a proceeding (obs.); a course of conduct (rare).
1706. J. Logan, in Pa. Hist. Soc. Mem., X. 161. Making sharp observations upon a conduct he saw, which he never expected.
1774. Burke, Corr. (1844), I. 486. A conduct which is not, perhaps, exactly justifiable to prudence.
1818. Jas. Mill, Brit. India, II. V. v. 497. A conduct which demanded the most serious consideration.
1859. Bright, Sp. India, 1 Aug. An improved conduct on the part of the English … towards the Natives of India.
III. 9. Conveyance, carriage (obs.); conveyance of liquid through a channel; = CONDUIT 6.
a. 1618. Raleigh, Observ. Magnif. Cities, in Rem. (1651), 38. A place of Safetie … commodiousness for Navigation and Conduct, for the attainment of plentie of all good things.
1847. South, trans. Chelius’ Surg., I. 711. The restoration of the natural ducts, and the conduct of the fluids from the fistulas.
† 10. An artificial channel for the conveyance of water or other liquid, an aqueduct; an artificial reservoir or structure whence water is made to issue, a fountain. Obs. Now CONDUIT 1–2, q.v.
† 11. A channel, passage, means of communication. Obs. Now CONDUIT 3–5, q.v.
IV. 12. Comb. Conduct-book, a book in which a record of the conduct of scholars, of men in public service, etc., is kept; spec. in U.S. navy; conduct-mark, a mark given for good, or forfeited for bad, conduct in schools, etc.; † conduct-pipe, see CONDUIT-PIPE. Also CONDUCT-MONEY.
