controls - Master This Word
Master this word with our 5-step learning method – Learn English in English
controls Word Meanings
- to exercise authority over
- to direct or manage
- the power to influence or hold back
controls Example Sentences
Example sentences are the start of understanding. Don't rush to memorize. First feel how the word works in a sentence.
controls Phonetic & Pronunciation
UK
/kənˈtrəʊl/
US
/kənˈtroʊl/
controls Word Etymology
con- = with + trol = to roll (from Latin 'contrahere'). The historical origin is Latin → Old French → English. Imagine a person holding tight on a rolling control wheel.
Note 1: These definitions and etymologies are not standard dictionary definitions, but extended explanations provided to help with memorization and understanding of the actual application of words. Through this background information, we strive to make words more vivid and easier to understand, and help you remember their meanings in real life.
Note 2: LexiTalk designs the learning flow around the linguistics principle of “Comprehensible Input.” When learners encounter material that is slightly above their level but still understandable from context, the brain naturally absorbs the language. That’s why we keep every word inside authentic contexts, using examples and associations to help you understand it and use it flexibly.
Read the FAQ explanation of Comprehensible InputEnglish Brain Route
I place my hand on the steering wheel and begin to turn it, feeling the road respond to every inch. I push and pull, nudge a little, and keep the car steady as the night shifts. The effort earns a sense of control, a quiet confidence that changes with each move. That feeling follows me into everyday moments— I set boundaries, adjust plans, and let small choices steer the day.
Real Context
Control can be both a noun and a verb. It refers to exercising authority over people, processes, or objects, and to directing or managing someone or something. You might say you control a team, control a machine, or control your temper. The phrase have control over emphasizes power, while be in control stresses current capability. In technical writing, control often means a mechanism that directs behavior, such as a control system or controller in a feedback loop. Learners frequently mix up control with manage, or with contain; control implies influence or restraint rather than simply supervision. Common collocations include control of, control over, and maintain control in a crisis.
Usage Reminders
- Have control over
- over; be in control; control a situation; control a device; control your temper; control systems are common in engineering
Common Misconceptions
- Control always means power over people; authority is not the only sense.
- Control is the same as manage; swap context to check.
- Be in control = be in charge of everything all the time.
- Controling a machine is the only technical meaning.
- Control of a person equals controlling a situation.
Thinking Differences
English often treats control as both power and technique; learners must distinguish controlling people from controlling processes, and be careful with phrases like be in control vs have control over.
Learning Tips
- Learn both forms: noun control and verb control.
- Pair with over/of: have control over, control of.
- Practice in contexts: emotions, situations, machines.
- Differentiate be in control, under control, and control the situation.
- Use technical terms like control system and controller.
- Compare with manage, govern, direct to feel nuance.
Related Listening
🔥 Advanced
Want to practice more words?
Download LexiTalk app for personalized learning experience
Download App