a name given to an ancient officer in the church, who, from the middle of the choir, where he had his place, gave the signal for the choristers to sing, and marked the measure, beat time, and regulated the music. The Greeks called him mesachoros, because seated in the middle of the choir; but in the Latin church he was called manuductor, from manus, the hand, and duco, I lead, because he led and guided the choir by motions of, or signals made by, the hand.