: to lead or tend to a particular and often desirable result : contribute
Word History
Etymology
Middle English conducen "to guide, lead," borrowed from Latin condūcere "to bring together, join, hire, be of advantage, be conducive (to)" (Medieval Latin also "to lead, escort, provide a channel for [water]"), from con-con- + dūcere "to lead, conduct, take (to a place)" — more at tow entry 1
Note:
In Vulgar, i.e., spoken Latin, the verb condūcere took on the basic senses of the simplex dūcere, which gradually faded from use, so that the Romance progeny of condūcere (as French conduire, Italian condurre, Spanish conducir, etc.) came to mean primarily "to lead, conduct." This shift in sense also exerted considerable influence on the meaning of Latin condūcere and its derivatives as employed in Medieval Latin.
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