controlled
controlled — adjective
1. describes an action, movement, or process that is performed slowly and on purpos
describes an action, movement, or process that is performed slowly and on purpose, so that nothing dangerous or unexpected happens.
Zayd lowered the heavy box onto the shelf in one slow, controlled motion.
controlled + motion (careful physical action)
The pilot brought the small plane down in a controlled descent through heavy clouds.
controlled descent (technical: aviation, planned action)
Firefighters lit a controlled burn to clear dry grass before the wildfire could reach the village.
Engineers used a controlled explosion to bring down the old factory chimney safely.
Caio practised a controlled kick so the ball would roll gently to his teammate.
- deliberate
stresses intention; 'controlled' adds the idea of limiting risk
- measured
more about pace and care; often used of speech or movement
- careful
everyday equivalent; less technical-sounding
文法句型
controlled + noun (action, descent, explosion, demolition)
用法筆記
Almost always attributive (before the noun). Object nouns are usually actions or events that could otherwise be dangerous or messy: descent, burn, explosion, demolition, motion.
常見錯誤
2. able to keep calm and not show anger, fear, or excitement, even in a difficult m
able to keep calm and not show anger, fear, or excitement, even in a difficult moment.
Yan stayed cool and controlled when the angry customer started shouting at the counter.
be + controlled (emotional self-restraint)
Her voice was quiet and controlled as she told the children that their grandmother had died.
controlled voice (collocation: restrained tone)
Zola gave a controlled smile and thanked the judge, even though she had wanted to win.
The young teacher kept a controlled tone while two students argued at the back of the class.
Christopher seemed calm and controlled, but his hands were shaking under the desk.
- composed
more formal; suggests visible calm under pressure
- self-possessed
formal; emphasises confidence as well as calm
- restrained
focuses on holding back rather than calmness
- emotional
showing strong feelings openly
- hysterical
extremely uncontrolled emotion
文法句型
be + controlled
controlled + voice/manner/tone
用法筆記
Subject is usually a person, or a noun describing how a person speaks or behaves (voice, tone, manner, smile). Distinguish from sense 1: sense 1 describes a planned physical action; sense 2 describes a person's feelings or manner.
常見錯誤
3. (of a drug, weapon, or material) only allowed to be sold, owned, or used under s
(of a drug, weapon, or material) only allowed to be sold, owned, or used under strict government rules, because it can harm people or be misused.
The police arrested Hugo for trying to bring a controlled drug into the country in his luggage.
controlled drug (collocation: legal restriction)
Doctors must keep careful records each time they hand out a controlled substance to a patient.
controlled substance (medical / legal usage)
Hunting rifles are sold as controlled weapons, so Eitan needed a special licence to buy one.
Some chemicals are controlled materials and can only be shipped by approved companies.
- regulated
broader; can apply to any activity, not just dangerous goods
- restricted
stresses limits on access rather than full legal control
- unregulated
no government rules
- over-the-counter
of medicine: freely sold without prescription
文法句型
controlled + substance/drug/weapon
用法筆記
Almost always attributive, modifying nouns like 'substance', 'drug', 'weapon', 'material'. The most fixed phrase is 'controlled substance', the standard legal label for a regulated drug.
常見錯誤
4. (of a study or experiment) designed so that one group is treated normally and an
(of a study or experiment) designed so that one group is treated normally and another is given a new treatment, so that researchers can fairly compare the results.
Ayesha read a controlled study showing that the new asthma drug worked better than the older one.
controlled study (research design)
Before the vaccine was approved, it was tested in a large controlled trial across five hospitals.
controlled trial (clinical research)
The team ran a controlled experiment to see if classical music really helps plants grow faster.
Indra repeated the test under controlled conditions in the lab so the results would be reliable.
- comparative
stresses the comparison aspect; less about the design
- blinded
specific subtype where participants do not know who got the treatment
- uncontrolled
without a comparison group; results less reliable
- observational
study without an intervention; researchers only watch
文法句型
controlled + study/trial/experiment/conditions
用法筆記
Strictly attributive in this sense, modifying 'study', 'trial', 'experiment', or 'conditions'. Often paired with 'randomized' in medical research ('randomized controlled trial'). Distinguish from sense 1: a 'controlled descent' is a careful action; a 'controlled trial' is a designed comparison.