operator-n; 6 Senses

Sense Number 1: a person who manipulate or controls a device or machine

Commentary: OPERATOR[+person][+controller][+equipment][+telephone/+tool/+radio]

Examples:
Operators are standing by for your call. (telephone operators)
John's brother makes good money as a back hoe operator.
He was trained to be a radio operator in the army.
Her grandmother was an elevator operator in a department store.
The machine operators may go on strike next week.

Mappings:
WordNet 3.0 Sense Numbers: 2

Sense Number 2: a hustler, wheeler dealer, one who manipulates deals

Commentary: OPERATOR[+person][+manipulator][+deal]
NOTE: often carries a pejorative nuance

Examples:
He became a real operator in show business.
They concluded he was a slick operator who might try to con them.
Mary thought John got his promotion at work mostly by being an operator.

Mappings:
WordNet 3.0 Sense Numbers: 4

Sense Number 3: a business owner or manager

Commentary: OPERATOR[+person][+entrepreneur][+business][+owner/+manager]

Examples:
Mary buys a morning paper from the local newsstand operator.
Mr. Jones is the operator of several casinos and entertainment complexes.
She is the operator of a small clothing store for children.

Mappings:
WordNet 3.0 Sense Numbers: 3

Sense Number 4: one who speculates or trades aggressively in financial markets

Commentary: OPERATOR[+person][+investor][+speculator][+trading][+financial]
NOTE: always refers specifically to people speculating in stocks, not general dealings (see Sense 2)

Examples:
The operators in the oil futures markets took a real hit recently.
He made a fortune as an operator in commodities, but got indicted for insider trading.

Mappings:
WordNet 3.0 Sense Numbers: 5

Sense Number 5: a mathematical symbol

Commentary: OPERATOR[+symbol][+mathematical][+function][+identity/+addition/+multiplication]

Examples:
The identity operator is symmetric.
A linear operator is one that obeys the distributive law in mathematics.
Can you find the addition operator on your hand calculator?

Mappings:
WordNet 3.0 Sense Numbers: 1

Sense Number 6: a binding site in DNA where genetic repressors inhibit nearby genes from expressing themselves

Commentary: OPERATOR[+structure][+chemical][+DNA] [+location][+site][+sequence][+DNA] [+role][+repressor][+expression][+genetic]

Examples:
The discovery of operator genes was a significant breakthrough.
The operator inhibits the initiation of messenger RNA transcriptions by nearby structural genes.

Mappings:
WordNet 0.0 Sense Numbers: 4