in commercial polity, a person who has the management of the affairs of a trading company: thus we say, the directors of the India company, South sea company, &c. See COMPANY.

The directors are considerable proprietors in the stocks of their respective companies, being chosen by plurality of votes from among the body of proprietors. The Dutch East-India company have sixty such directors; that of France, twenty one; the British East-India company has twenty-four, including the chairman, who may be re-elected for four years successively. These last have salaries of £50 a-year each, and the chairman £200. They meet at least once a week, and commonly oftener, being summoned as occasion requires.

in surgery, a grooved probe, to direct the edge edge of the knife or scissors, in opening sinuses, or fis- tulae, that by this means the adjacent vessels, nerves, and tendons may remain unhurt. See Surgery.