gov·ern
(gŭv́ərn)
[Middle English governen, from Old French governer, from Latin gubernāre, from Greek kubernān.]
verb: -erned, -ern·ing, -erns.
transitive verb
- To make and administer the public policy and affairs of; exercise sovereign authority in.
- To control the speed or magnitude of; regulate: a valve that governs fuel intake.
- To control the actions or behavior of: Govern yourselves like civilized people.
- To keep under control; restrain: a student who could not govern his impulses.
- To exercise a deciding or determining influence on: Chance usually governs the outcome of the game.
- Grammar To require (a specific morphological form) of accompanying words.
intransitive verb
- To exercise political authority.
- To have or exercise a determining influence.
derivatives
- gov́ern·a·ble
- adjective
