1. (n.) One who controls a machine to produce an effect\.

2. (n.) One who performs some act upon the human body by means of the hand, or with instruments.

3. (n.) A dealer in stocks or any commodity for speculative purposes; a speculator.

4. (n.) The symbol that expresses the operation to be performed; -- called also facient.

Machiavellian PBX operator activist actor administrator adventurer agent architect author ball of fire beaver behind-the-scenes operator big operator big wheel big-time operator bustler busy bee central coconspirator conductor conniver conspirator conspirer counterplotter creator director doer driver eager beaver eminence grise engineer enthusiast executant executor executrix exploiter fabricator faker finagler fraud functionary gamesman go-getter gray eminence gunslinger handler human dynamo hustler intrigant intriguer kingmaker lame duck live wire logroller long distance machinator maker man of action man of deeds manager maneuverer manipulator margin purchaser medium militant mover new broom operant operative operative surgeon opportunist performer perpetrator pilot plotter plunger political activist pork-barrel politician powerhouse practitioner prime mover producer runner sawbones scalper schemer smart operator smoothie speculator stag steersman strategist subject superintendent supervisor surgeon switchboard operator take-charge guy telephone operator telephonist wheeler-dealer winner wire-puller wise guy worker