[ad. L. conductiōnem, n. of action from condūcĕre to conduct: see -ION. So mod. F. conduction from 13th c. (Littré).]
I. † 1. Leading, guidance, conveyance (of that which leads, or is led); = CONDUCT sb. 1.
1541. Act 33 Hen. VIII., c. 15. The saufe conduction, leadynge, and bringing of all saintuary menne … to the foresaide citie of Westchester.
1602. Carew, Cornwall (1723), 154 b. Which leaves you to the conduction of a winding and craggy path.
1652. Bp. Hall, Serm., Rem. Wks. (1660), 153. This leading of God’s Spirit must [not] be a … momentary, transient conduction.
1653. Cloria & Narcissus, I. 239. Yesterday, by the conduction of your Dwarfe, we entred.
† 2. Leadership, command, esp. military or naval (of the person commanding, or of the army, etc., commanded); = CONDUCT sb. 5. Obs.
1551. Robinson, trans. More’s Utop., II. (Arb.), 138. The reule, governaunce, and conduction of the whole armye.
1577–87. Holinshed, Sc. Chron. (1806), II. 221. English horsemen under the conduction of the lord William Evers.
1614. Raleigh, Hist. World, V. ii. § 3. 588. Had they not submitted themselves to the conduction of Miltiades.
a. 1642. Sir W. Monson, Naval Tracts, III. (1704), 374/2. Chosen … as the Master is for the Conduction of his Ship.
† 3. The carrying on, management or direction (of an affair, etc.); = CONDUCT sb. 6. Obs.
1565. Act 8 Eliz., c. 13 § 1. The Master, Wardens and Assistants of the Trinity-house … charged with the Conduction of the Queen’s Majesty’s Navy Royal.
1609. Tourneur, Fun. Poem, 314. The right conduction Of his affaires.
1644. Fifth of Nov., Pref. 3. Under the conduction and direction of their tyrannie.
1841. Catlin, N. Amer. Ind. (1844), I. xii. 88. In the conduction of those annual religious rites.
† 4. Aptitude for leading, or for managing affairs; generalship, management, skill; = CONDUCT sb. 7.
a. 1577. Sir T. Smith, Commw. Eng. (1633). Either for wit, conduction, or power.
1580. North, Plutarch, 493 (R.). The noblest captain, and of best conduction of any man in his time.
1614. Raleigh, Hist. World, I. 100. So greate a worke … could not be affected without order and conduction.
II. 5. The conducting of (liquid through a channel or pipe). Now chiefly applied to natural processes, e.g., the movement of sap in plants.
1612. Brerewood, Lang. & Relig., xiii. 140. Vitruvius and Palladius, in their conduction of waters, require … that, in proceeding of 200 foot forward, there should be allowed one foot of descending.
1882. Vines, Sachs’ Bot., 684. The cause of withering is the interruption in the conduction of water from below.
6. Physics. The transmission of heat, electricity, of nerve-force from particle to particle of a substance. (The chief current sense.)
1814. W. C. Wells, Ess. Dew (1866), 87. Losing more quickly its heat by conduction.
1855. Bain, Senses & Int., I. ii. § 12 (1864), 40. We know of no other mode of employing a nerve thread than in Conduction.
1881. Maxwell, Electr. & Magn., I. 33. The wire is said to be a conductor of electricity, and the second body … to be electrified by conduction.
III. † 7. Hiring. Obs. exc. in Rom. Law.
1538. Aberd. Reg., V. 16 (Jam.). Tuechyng the conductioun and feyng of the menstrallis.
1540. Sc. Acts Jas. V. (1597), § 111 (heading), Anentis conduction of craftes-men.
a. 1618. Raleigh, in Gutch, Coll. Cur., I. 75. The making of such a bargain [locatio] is called Conduction.
1645. Ussher, Body Div. (1647), 300. Conduction, which is the alienation of the hire for the use of the thing.
1880. Muirhead, trans. Instit. Gaius, III. § 144. It is also doubtful if there be location and conduction when I have given you the use of a thing, receiving from you the use of something else in return.
