v.
Pronunciation: ' g ə -v ə rn
Function: verb
Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French governer, from Latin gubernare to steer, govern, from Greek kybernan
Date: 14th century
transitive verb
1 a : to exercise continuous sovereign authority over especially : to control and direct the making and administration of policy in b : to rule without sovereign power and usually without having the authority to determine basic policy
2 a archaic : MANIPULATE b : to control the speed of (as a machine) especially by automatic means
3 a : to control, direct, or strongly influence the actions and conduct of b : to exert a determining or guiding influence in or over <income must govern expenditure> c : to hold in check : RESTRAIN
4 : to require (a word) to be in a certain case
5 : to serve as a precedent or deciding principle for <customs that govern human decisions>
intransitive verb
1 : to prevail or have decisive influence : CONTROL
2 : to exercise authority
– gov · ern · able \ -v ə r-n ə -b ə l \ adjective