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View synonyms for regulator

regulator

[reg-yuh-ley-ter]

noun

  1. a person or thing that regulates.

  2. Horology.

    1. an adjustable device in a clock or a watch for making it go faster or slower.

    2. a master clock, usually of great accuracy, against which other clocks are checked.

  3. Machinery.

    1. a governor mechanism for regulating the flow of fuel, steam, etc., to an engine in order to maintain constant speed under varying load or resistance.

    2. a valve for regulating the pressure of flowing gas or liquid to maintain a predetermined pressure.

    3. any of various mechanisms for maintaining a temperature, a level of liquid in a tank, etc.

  4. Electricity.,  a device for maintaining a designated characteristic, as voltage or current, at a predetermined value, or for varying it according to a predetermined plan.

  5. a device on scuba equipment for regulating the rate at which compressed air is fed through a breathing tube in proportion to the depth of water.

  6. a device for maintaining a constant gas pressure.

  7. (initial capital letter)

    1. a member of any of several bands or committees in North Carolina (1767–71), formed to resist certain abuses, as extortion by officials.

    2. (in newly settled areas) a member of any band or committee organized to preserve order before the establishment of regular legal authority.



regulator

/ ˈrɛɡjʊˌleɪtə /

noun

  1. a person or thing that regulates

  2. the mechanism, including the hairspring and the balance wheel, by which the speed of a timepiece is regulated

  3. a timepiece, known to be accurate, by which others are timed and regulated

  4. any of various mechanisms or devices, such as a governor valve, for controlling fluid flow, pressure, temperature, voltage, etc

  5. Also called: regulator genea gene the product of which controls the synthesis of a product from another gene

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Word History and Origins

Origin of regulator1

First recorded in 1645–55; regulate + -or 2
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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Millions of households in England will have to pay even higher water bills than had previously been announced, after five water companies appealed to the UK's competition regulator.

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Sheffield Wednesday's struggles are a "significant problem" and the football regulator is seeking powers to investigate clubs in such situations, its new chair David Kogan has said.

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Authorities only learnt about the outage the next afternoon, more than 36 hours after it began, from the industry regulator.

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The regulator said it was continuing to take action on misleading ads.

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A compensation scheme for car finance mis-selling has been proposed by the financial regulator.

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Regulation Uregulator pin