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 had formerly 60 such directors; that of France, 21: The British East India Company has 24, including the chairman, who may be re-elected for four years successively. The last have salaries of 150l. a-year each, and the chairman 200l. They meet at least once a-week, and commonly oftener, being summoned as occasion requires. The directors of the Bank of England are 24 in number, including the governor and deputy-governor.

in Surgery, a grooved probe, to direct the edge of the knife or scissars in opening sinuses or fistulae, that by this means the adjacent vessels, nerves, and tendons, may remain unhurt. See SURGERY Index.