GOVERN • DICTIONARY ONE.COM • Definition of Govern

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/gˈəvərn/ Listen

verb

Govern v. t. (past & past part. governed; pres. part. governing)

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."

To regulate; to influence; to direct; to restrain; to manage; as, to govern the life; to govern a horse. "Govern well thy appetite."

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

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Etymology of 'Govern'

Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48

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"Govern" Quotes from Famous Books

... war, when royal ships were often scenes of great courage, and of equal despotism and debasement—when seamen were taken from the dock, impressed from the trader, and even stolen on the streets. Taught to govern a crew, they were judged by the ministry exactly qualified to coerce and control a body of prisoners. There were some advantages in this choice: they were men who knew how to subject the will of masses; their fearless temper felt no dread of those wild ...

— The History of Tasmania , Volume II (of 2) • John West

... stand-still; in that of the hill folk open war broke out. The grasping exactions of the tyrant dominant body produced nothing from waste lands and armed mountaineers; destitution and revolt were equally beyond their power to cope with; and all that was left for tyranny to govern was a desert ...

— Celebrated Crimes, Complete • Alexandre Dumas, Pere

... the church of Ephesus, Acts xx. 17; he writeth to the bishops (not bishop) of the church at Philippi, Phil. i. 1; he biddeth the Thessalonians know them (not him) which laboured among them, 2 Thess. v. 12. Now that number of pastors or bishops which was in one city, did in common govern all the churches within the city, and there was not any one pastor who, by himself, governed a certain part of the city particularly assigned to his charge, to which purpose the Apostle exhorteth the elders of ...

— The Works of Mr. George Gillespie (Vol. 1 of 2) • George Gillespie

... war, as applied to a non-commissioned officer, must also govern his superiors. As Sergeant Dudley deserved his ...

— The Littlest Rebel • Edward Peple

... existence because if they did not believe in the Northcliffe press they would have nothing whatever in which to believe. Men used to believe in the Ten Commandments; now they accept Prohibition because if they did not accept some authority they would have to govern themselves. Men used to believe the Bible; now they believe the daily papers because if they did not they would be compelled to lift up their eyes ...

— Nonsenseorship • G. G. Putnam

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