REGULATE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does regulate mean? 

• REGULATE (verb)
  The verb REGULATE has 4 senses:

1. fix or adjust the time, amount, degree, or rate of

2. bring into conformity with rules or principles or usage; impose regulations

3. shape or influence; give direction to

4. restrain the emission of (sound, fluid, etc.)

  Familiarity information: REGULATE used as a verb is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• REGULATE (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they regulate    ... he / she / it regulates   
Past simple: regulated   
Past participle: regulated   
-ing form: regulating   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Fix or adjust the time, amount, degree, or rate of

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

modulate; regulate

Context example:

modulate the pitch

Hypernyms (to "regulate" is one way to...):

adjust; correct; set (alter or regulate so as to achieve accuracy or conform to a standard)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Derivation:

regulator (any of various controls or devices for regulating or controlling fluid flow, pressure, temperature, etc.)

regulatory (restricting according to rules or principles)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Bring into conformity with rules or principles or usage; impose regulations

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Synonyms:

govern; order; regularise; regularize; regulate

Context example:

This town likes to regulate

Hypernyms (to "regulate" is one way to...):

decide; determine; make up one's mind (reach, make, or come to a decision about something)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "regulate"):

standardise; standardize (cause to conform to standard or norm)

district; zone (regulate housing in; of certain areas of towns)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Antonym:

deregulate (lift the regulations on)

Derivation:

regulating (the act of controlling or directing according to rule)

regulation (the act of bringing to uniformity; making regular)

regulation (a principle or condition that customarily governs behavior)

regulator (an official responsible for control and supervision of a particular activity or area of public interest)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Shape or influence; give direction to

Classified under:

Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting

Synonyms:

determine; influence; mold; regulate; shape

Context example:

mold public opinion

Hypernyms (to "regulate" is one way to...):

cause; do; make (give rise to; cause to happen or occur, not always intentionally)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "regulate"):

dispose; incline (make receptive or willing towards an action or attitude or belief)

disincline; indispose (make unwilling)

miscreate (shape or form or make badly)

carry weight (have influence to a specified degree)

decide (influence or determine)

reshape (shape anew or differently)

time (set the speed, duration, or execution of)

index (adjust through indexation)

pace (regulate or set the pace of)

predetermine (determine beforehand)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s something
Somebody ----s whether INFINITIVE

Derivation:

regulation (the act of controlling or directing according to rule)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Restrain the emission of (sound, fluid, etc.)

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

baffle; regulate

Hypernyms (to "regulate" is one way to...):

hold back; keep; keep back; restrain (prevent the action or expression of)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

 Context examples 

RTVP-1, also referred to as glioma pathogenesis-related protein 1 (GLIP1), is down-regulated in prostate tumors.

(AdRTVP-1-Transduced Prostate Cancer Cell-Based Vaccine, NCI Thesaurus)

As for me, my own affairs are regulate; and as I have nothing else to do, I shall go make arrangements for the travel.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

In any other place Sir Walter might judge for himself; and would be looked up to, as regulating the modes of life in whatever way he might choose to model his household.

(Persuasion, by Jane Austen)

This protein is involved in transcription that is regulated by modifications for both DNA and histones.

(Methyl-CpG-Binding Domain Protein 3, NCI Thesaurus)

Now, Mercury will regulate its orbit and turn direct on March 9, the same day as the full moon.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)

Scientists found a crucial role for a diabetes-associated gene, called transcription factor 7-like 2 (Tcf7l2), in regulating the response to nicotine in the brain.

(Nicotine addiction linked to diabetes through a DNA-regulating gene in animal models, National Institutes of Health)

“The next will be regulated without much reference to them, I dare say,” I returned: “what are they doing as to this?”

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

Another team analyzed transcription regulatory factors—key proteins that bind to DNA and regulate genes to control a cell’s development and activity.

(Expanding Our Understanding of Genomics, NIH)

Our bodies contain around 30,000 different proteins, which are coded for by our DNA and regulate biological processes.

(Study highlights potential for ‘liquid health check’ to predict disease risk, University of Cambridge)

But it shall be regulated, it shall be checked by religion, by reason, by constant employment.

(Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen)