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The act of superintending; care and oversight for the purpose of direction; supervision. Barrow.

government; the persons collectively who are intrusted with the execution of laws and the superintendence of public affairs; the chief magistrate and his cabinet or council; or the council, or ministry, alone, as in Great Britain. A mild and popular administration. Macaulay. The administration has been opposed in parli…

council; their opinion is merely advisory. The General Association has a general advisory superintendence over all the ministers and churches. Trumbull.

A magistrate in ancient Rome, who had the superintendence of public buildings, highways, shows, etc.; hence, a municipal officer.

f acting or of exerting power; the state of being in action; action; instrumentality. The superintendence and agency of Providence in the natural world. Woodward.

One of the chiefs or pontiffs of the Roman province of Asia, who had the superintendence of the public games and religious rites. Milner.

Power or authority to check or restrain; restraining or regulating influence; superintendence; government; as, children should be under parental control. The House of Commons should exercise a control over all the departments of the executive administration. Macaulay. Board of control. See under Board.…

ower or act of controlling; the state of being rstrained; control; restraint; regulation; superintendence. You may do it without controlment. Shak.

One who has the care and superintendence of anything, as of a museum; a custodian; a keeper.

The act of directing, of aiming, regulating, guiding, or ordering; guidance; management; superintendence; administration; as, the direction o. I do commit his youth To your direction. Shak. All nature is but art, unknown to thee;direction, which thou canst not see. Pope.

The office or charge of an editor; care and superintendence of a publication.

Survey; superintendence. [Obs.] Milton.

The act or result of guiding; the superintendence or assistance of a guide; direction; government; a leading. His studies were without guidance and without plan. Macaulay.

The act of overseeing; official examination or superintendence. Trial by inspection (O. Eng. Law), a mode of trial in which the case was settled by the individual observation and decision of the judge upon the testimony of his own senses, without the intervention of a jury. Abbott.

One who has the care, custody, or superintendence of anything; as, the keeper of a park, a pound, of sheep, of a gate, etc. ; the keeper of attached property; hence, one who saves from harm; a defender; a preserver. The Lord is thy keeper. Ps. cxxi. 6.

Watchful care; superintendence; general supervision.

A count or earl who presided in the domestic court, and had the superintendence, of a royal household in Germany.

A law enacted by the common people, under the superintendence of a tribune or some subordinate plebeian magistrate, without the intervention of the senate.

our, hour for posting letters. Dickens. -- Post office. (a) An office under governmental superintendence, where letters, papers, and other mailable matter, are received and distributed; a place appointed for attending to all business connected with the mail. (b) The governmental system for forwarding mail matter. --…

To exercise superintendence; to watch over. Some o'er the public magazines preside. Dryden.