Conduct, n.
Etymology: [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.
3 more senses
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.
2 other Webster entries under this spelling
Conduct, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Conducted; p. pr. & vb. n. Conducting.]
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.
Conduct, 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.]
Shades of meaning
Fernald has no entry of its own for conduct; he lists it under behavior, keep, transact.
Where he writes about it:
Behavior is our action in the presence of others; conduct includes also that which is known only to ourselves and our Maker. — from behavior
Breeding, unless with some adverse limitation, denotes that manner and conduct which result from good birth and training. — from behavior