regulation

[reg-yuh-ley-shuhn]

noun

1. a law, rule, or other order prescribed by authority, especially to regulate conduct.

   Safety regulations require the use of impact-resistant helmets.

2. the act of regulating or the state of being regulated.

   Adolescence is a potentially important time in the development of emotion regulation.

   Synonyms: adjustment, disposition, dispensation, management, direction

3. Sports.,  the normal, prescribed duration of a game according to the sport's regulations, exclusive of any extra innings, overtime period, etc..

   The Knicks tied the score in the final seconds of regulation, sending the game into overtime.

4. Biology.,  the internal response that an organism undergoes to adapt to external stimuli (control ).

   Regulation of blood flow is an essential mechanism for delivering oxygen and glucose to the tissues that need it most.

5. Genetics.,  the act or process of controlling the expression of genes.

   Scientists are hoping to discover whether viruses can be used to study gene regulation in mammalian cells.

6. Embryology.,  the process by which an embryo can continue to develop normally after it has been damaged.

   Added cells become normally integrated into the body of the host embryo, which provides additional evidence of embryonic regulation.

7. Electronics.,  the difference between maximum and minimum voltage drops between the anode and the cathode of a gas tube for a specified range of values of the anode current.

8. Machinery.,  the percentage difference in some quantity related to the operation of an apparatus or machine, as the voltage output of a transformer or the speed of a motor, between the value of the quantity at no-load operation and its value at full-load operation.

adjective

1. prescribed by or conforming to regulation.

   regulation army equipment.

2. usual; normal; customary.

   the regulation decorations for a Halloween party.

3. Sports.,  during the normal, prescribed duration of a game.

   Both teams are entitled to two timeouts in each half of regulation play.

regulation

/ ˌrɛɡjʊˈleɪʃən /

noun

1. the act or process of regulating

2. a rule, principle, or condition that governs procedure or behaviour

3. a governmental or ministerial order having the force of law

4. embryol the ability of an animal embryo to develop normally after its structure has been altered or damaged in some way

5. (modifier) as required by official rules or procedure

   regulation uniform

6. (modifier) normal; usual; conforming to accepted standards

   a regulation haircut

7. electrical engineering the change in voltage occurring when a load is connected across a power supply, caused by internal resistance (for direct current) or internal impedance (alternating current)

regulation

1. Laws through which governments can control privately owned businesses.

Other Word Forms

• nonregulation noun
• overregulation noun
• reregulation noun
• superregulation noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of regulation¹

First recorded in 1665–75; regulate + -ion

Example Sentences

Asked about what he would do as chancellor, Tice said the party's priority would be to focus on savings and cutting regulation.

From BBC

“While we understand the importance of these items to our customers, these steps are being taken in accordance with federal, state, and local” regulations, Garvins said.

From Los Angeles Times

The intention of the proposed measure is to hew as closely to the county regulations as possible, including provisions that provide flexibility to small landlords, Blumenfield said.

From Los Angeles Times

They’ve struck a more friendly tone with the president during his second term as they push for a more hands-off approach to regulation while competing to dominate the artificial intelligence race.

From Los Angeles Times

The commission said the utility violated state regulations by failing to cooperate with investigators and not safely maintaining its electrical equipment.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• adjustment 
• arrangement 
• control 
• governance 
• management 
• settlement 
• supervision