Controls, governs, or maintains something according to rules or standards. Third person singular present tense of regulate.
From Latin 'regulatus', past participle of 'regulare' meaning 'to control by rule', from 'regula' meaning 'rule' or 'straight stick'. The concept evolved from physical straightening tools to abstract control mechanisms.
The word shares its root with 'regular' and originally referred to making things straight with a ruler - imagine ancient Roman engineers using their regula to ensure straight roads! Modern regulation still carries this sense of imposing order and consistency.
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