govern

[govĀ·ern]

To govern is to rule, lead, oversee, or otherwise control. Each U.S. state has its own governor, whose job it is to govern the affairs of that state.

...

To direct and control, as the actions or conduct of men, either by established laws or by arbitrary will; to regulate by authority.

Verb
direct or strongly influence the behavior of; "His belief in God governs his conduct"

Verb
bring into conformity with rules or principles or usage; impose regulations; "We cannot regulate the way people dress"; "This town likes to regulate"

Verb
exercise authority over; as of nations; "Who is governing the country now?"

Verb
require to be in a certain grammatical case, voice, or mood; "most transitive verbs govern the accusative case in German"


v. t.
To direct and control, as the actions or conduct of men, either by established laws or by arbitrary will; to regulate by authority.

v. t.
To regulate; to influence; to direct; to restrain; to manage; as, to govern the life; to govern a horse.

v. t.
To require to be in a particular case; as, a transitive verb governs a noun in the objective case; or to require (a particular case); as, a transitive verb governs the objective case.

v. i.
To exercise authority; to administer the laws; to have the control.


Govern

Gov"ern , v. t. [imp. & p. p. Governed ; p. pr. & vb. n. Governing.] [OF. governer, F. gouverner, fr. L. gubernare to steer, pilot, govern, Gr. . Cf. Gubernatorial.] 1. To direct and control, as the actions or conduct of men, either by established laws or by arbitrary will; to regulate by authority. "Fit to govern and rule multitudes." Shak. 2. To regulate; to influence; to direct; to restrain; to manage; as, to govern the life; to govern a horse.
Govern well thy appetite.
3. (Gram.) To require to be in a particular case; as, a transitive verb governs a noun in the objective case; or to require (a particular case); as, a transitive verb governs the objective case.

Govern

Gov"ern, v. i. To exercise authority; to administer the laws; to have the control. Dryden.

To direct and control, as the actions or conduct of men, either by established laws or by arbitrary will; to regulate by authority.

To exercise authority; to administer the laws; to have the control.

...

Usage Examples

I share the anger, but, ultimately, to govern this country, it takes more than anger. It takes experience. It takes positions that reflect the best values of the American people.

It is not in the nature of politics that the best men should be elected. The best men do not want to govern their fellowmen.

I have no fear that the result of our experiment will be that men may be trusted to govern themselves without a master.

At the start of his second term, one wonders less about Obama's fitness than his willingness: Why doesn't he do more to build and maintain the relationships required to govern in era of polarization?

As our federal government has grown too large and too powerful, the real loss has been the freedom of people to govern their own lives and participate fully in the American dream.

It is impossible to rightly govern a nation without God and the Bible.

I will govern my life and thoughts as if the whole world were to see the one and read the other, for what does it signify to make anything a secret to my neighbor, when to God, who is the searcher of our hearts, all our privacies are open?

I believe in the America people's ability to govern themselves. If government would just get out of the way and allow them to lead their lives as they choose, they will succeed.

Misspelled Form

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Other Usage Examples

Govern a great nation as you would cook a small fish. Do not overdo it.

Eternal principles that govern happiness apply equally to all.

I think that if Republicans are given the reins of leadership in the House or Senate or both, we will have to govern in a way - at least put forward solutions whether or not the president goes along with them or not, that deal with these long-term challenges.

I have no ambition to govern men it is a painful and thankless office.

Clever and attractive women do not want to vote they are willing to let men govern as long as they govern men.

I think the destructive, vicious, negative nature of much of the news media makes it harder to govern this country, harder to attract decent people to run for public office.

And when a woman's will is as strong as the man's who wants to govern her, half her strength must be concealment.

I must govern the clock, not be governed by it.

I worked night and day for twelve years to prevent the war, but I could not. The North was mad and blind, would not let us govern ourselves, and so the war came.

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