preside

Verb

preside (third-person singular simple present presides, present participle presiding, simple past and past participle presided)

1. (intransitive) To act as president or chairperson.
2. (intransitive) To exercise authority or control.
   • The firſt day of November was dedicated to the angel preſiding over fruits, ſeeds, &c. and was therefore named la mas ubhal, that is, the day of the apple fruit, and being pronounced lamasool, the English have corrupted the name to lambswool, a name they give to a compoſition made on this eve of...1786, “Of Allhallow Eve, Named by the Irish Oidhche Shamhna”, in Charles Vallancey, editor, Collectanea de Rebus Hibernicis, volume III, Dublin: Luke White, pages 444-445
   • When all this was sailed through, there still remained the toolroom—a most efficient department presided over by a quiet man who was an expert on astronomy as well as jigs, tools and fixtures.1944 September and October, A Former Pupil, “Some Memories of Crewe Works—I”, in Railway Magazine, page 283

   Synonyms:

   oversit, moderate

3. (intransitive) To be a featured solo performer.
   • I’ll preside at the organ.