*rector*

a. Containing or making correction; corrective. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. directeur. ] 1. One who, or that which, directs; one who regulates, guides, or orders; a manager or superintendent. [ 1913 Webster ]

In all affairs thou sole director. Swift. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. One of a body of persons appointed to manage the affairs of a company or corporation; as, the directors of a bank, insurance company, or railroad company. [ 1913 Webster ]

What made directors cheat in South-Sea year? Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Mech.) A part of a machine or instrument which directs its motion or action. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Surg.) A slender grooved instrument upon which a knife is made to slide when it is wished to limit the extent of motion of the latter, or prevent its injuring the parts beneath. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. directorat. ] The office of director; also, a body of directors taken jointly. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Cf. F. directorial. ] 1. Having the quality of a director, or authoritative guide; directive. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Pertaining to: director or directory; specifically, relating to the Directory of France under the first republic. See Directory, 3. [ 1913 Webster ]

Whoever goes to the directorial presence under this passport. Burke. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The condition or office of a director; directorate. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. directorius. ] Containing directions; enjoining; instructing; directorial. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Directories 1. A collection or body of directions, rules, or ordinances; esp., a book of directions for the conduct of worship; as, the Directory used by the nonconformists instead of the Prayer Book. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A book containing the names and residences of the inhabitants of any place, or of classes of them; an address book; as, a business directory. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. [ Cf. F. directoire. ] A body of directors; board of management; especially, a committee which held executive power in France under the first republic. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Direction; guide. [ R. ] Whitlock. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. One who, or that which, erects. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Anat.) A muscle which raises any part. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Physics) An attachment to a microscope, telescope, or other optical instrument, for making the image erect instead of inverted. [ 1913 Webster ]

. A director (usually one holding a number of directorships) who serves merely or mainly for the fee (in England, often a guinea) paid for attendance. [ Colloq. ] [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n. A person who manages a busness though not the owner or chief executive.
Syn. -- director, manager. [ PJC + WordNet 1.5 ]

n. [ NL. See Pro-, and Rector. ] An officer who presides over the academic senate of a German university. Heyse. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The office of prorector. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L., fr. regere, rectum, to lead straight, to rule: cf. F. recteur. See Regiment, Right. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. A ruler or governor. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

God is the supreme rector of the world. Sir M. Hale. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (a) (Ch. of Eng.) A clergyman who has the charge and cure of a parish, and has the tithes, etc.; the clergyman of a parish where the tithes are not impropriate. See the Note under Vicar. Blackstone. (b) (Prot. Epis. Ch.) A clergyman in charge of a parish. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. The head master of a public school. [ Scot. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

4. The chief elective officer of some universities, as in France and Scotland; sometimes, the head of a college; as, the Rector of Exeter College, or of Lincoln College, at Oxford. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. (R. C. Ch.) The superior officer or chief of a convent or religious house; and among the Jesuits the superior of a house that is a seminary or college. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ CF. F. rectoral. ] Pertaining to a rector or governor. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ LL. rectoratus: cf. F. rectorat. ] The office, rank, or station of a rector; rectorship. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. A governess; a rectrix. Drayton. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The wife of a rector. Thackeray. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Pertaining to a rector or a rectory; rectoral. Shipley. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. Government; guidance. [ Obs. ] “The rectorship of judgment.” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The office or rank of a rector; rectorate. [ 1913 Webster ]

n.; pl. Rectories [ Cf. OF. rectorie or rectorerie, LL. rectoria. ] 1. The province of a rector; a parish church, parsonage, or spiritual living, with all its rights, tithes, and glebes. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A rector's mansion; a parsonage house. [ 1913 Webster ]

. (Theat.) One who prepares a play for production. He arranges the details of the stage settings, the business to be used, all stage effects, and instructs the actors, excepting usually the star, in the general interpretation of their parts. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]