govern
//ˈɡʌv.ən//
Forms
- present (v1)
- govern
- past (v2)
- governed
- past participle (v3)
- governed
- present participle
- governing
- 3rd person singular
- governs
- Plural
- governs
Definitions
1.To make and administer the public policy and affairs of; to exercise sovereign authority in.
- The old king governed the land wisely.
2.To exercise political authority; to run a government.
3.To control the actions or behavior of; to keep under control; to restrain.
- Find the strength, courage, and discipline to govern yourself or be governed by someone else.
- Govern yourselves like civilized people.
- This female hyena also gets erections and is larger, more aggressive than the male hyenas and lives in matrilineal clans of up to 80 individuals governed by an alpha female matriarch.
4.To exercise a deciding or determining influence on.
- Chance governs the outcome of many card games.
1.The act of governing
Frequency
Overall
Uncommon· #3877
By learning goal
- Everyday conversation
- Rare
- General reading & writing
- Uncommon
- Academic
- Rare
- Literature
- Rare
Related words
Synonyms
Word family
Etymology
From Middle English governen, governe, from Anglo-Norman and Old French governer, guverner, from Latin gubernō, from Ancient Greek κυβερνάω (kubernáō, “to steer, drive, govern”).
Displaced native Old English wealdan, whence modern dialectical English wald (“to govern”).