govern
[ guhv-ern ]
/ ˈgʌv ərn /
verb (used with object)
verb (used without object)
to exercise the function of government.
to have predominating influence.
Origin of govern
1250–1300; Middle English < Old French
gouverner < Latin
gubernāre to steer (a ship) < Greek
kybernân to steer
SYNONYMS FOR govern
synonym study for govern
1. See
rule.
OTHER WORDS FROM govern
Words nearby govern
goutweed,
gouty,
gouty stool,
gov,
gov.,
govern,
governador valadares,
governance,
governess,
government,
government house
Example sentences from the Web for govern
British Dictionary definitions for govern
govern
/ (ˈɡʌvən) /
verb (mainly tr)
(also intr)
to direct and control the actions, affairs, policies, functions, etc, of (a political unit, organization, nation, etc); rule
to exercise restraint over; regulate or direct
to govern one's temper
to be a predominant influence on (something); decide or determine (something)
his injury governed his decision to avoid sports
to control the speed of (an engine, machine, etc) using a governor
to control the rate of flow of (a fluid) by using an automatic valve
(of a word) to determine the inflection of (another word)
Latin nouns govern adjectives that modify them
Derived forms of govern
governable, adjective governability or governableness, nounWord Origin for govern
C13: from Old French
gouverner, from Latin
gubernāre to steer, from Greek
kubernan