govern

[guhv-ern] /ˈgʌv ərn/
verb (used with object)
1.
to rule over by right of authority:
to govern a nation.
2.
to exercise a directing or restraining influence over; guide:
the motives governing a decision.
3.
to hold in check; control:
to govern one's temper.
4.
to serve as or constitute a law for:
the principles governing a case.
5.
Grammar. to be regularly accompanied by or require the use of (a particular form). In They helped us, the verb helped governs the objective case of the pronoun we.
6.
to regulate the speed of (an engine) with a governor.
verb (used without object)
7.
to exercise the function of government.
8.
to have predominating influence.
Origin
1250-1300; Middle English < Old French gouverner < Latin gubernāre to steer (a ship) < Greek kybernân to steer
Related forms
governable, adjective
governability, governableness, noun
overgovern, verb (used with object)
regovern, verb (used with object)
supergovern, verb (used with object)
ungoverned, adjective
ungoverning, adjective
well-governed, adjective
Synonyms
1. reign. See rule. 2. control, sway, influence, conduct, supervise, superintend.
Antonyms
1. obey.
Examples from the web for govern
  • Senate career also may hold clues about how he would govern.
  • Each hotel has its own policies that govern guest check-out procedures.
  • WE govern our democracy either by leadership or by crisis.
  • Ocean currents govern the world's weather and churn a kaleidoscope of life.
  • Scientific or natural laws govern the physical, but they are not physical.
  • Of course, it's one thing to win a revolution, and quite another to govern its consequences.
  • Two major plasma flows govern the cycle, the researchers said.
  • But there are some basic principles that should govern your thinking when it comes to managing campus crises.
  • The study could also help researchers identify genes that govern behavioral traits, such as aggressiveness or kindness.
  • They cannot, however, distinguish among various microscopic mechanisms that may govern the material's behavior.
British Dictionary definitions for govern

govern

/ˈɡʌvən/
verb (mainly transitive)
1.
(also intransitive) to direct and control the actions, affairs, policies, functions, etc, of (a political unit, organization, nation, etc); rule
2.
to exercise restraint over; regulate or direct: to govern one's temper
3.
to be a predominant influence on (something); decide or determine (something): his injury governed his decision to avoid sports
4.
to control the speed of (an engine, machine, etc) using a governor
5.
to control the rate of flow of (a fluid) by using an automatic valve
6.
(of a word) to determine the inflection of (another word): Latin nouns govern adjectives that modify them
Derived Forms
governable, adjective
governability, governableness, noun
Word Origin
C13: from Old French gouverner, from Latin gubernāre to steer, from Greek kubernan
Word Origin and History for govern
v.

late 13c., from Old French governer (11c., Modern French gouverner) "govern," from Latin gubernare "to direct, rule, guide, govern" (cf. Spanish gobernar, Italian governare), originally "to steer," a nautical borrowing from Greek kybernan "to steer or pilot a ship, direct" (the root of cybernetics). The -k- to -g- sound shift is perhaps via the medium of Etruscan. Related: Governed; governing.