govern

Meaning

1. To make and administer the public policy and affairs of; to exercise sovereign authority in.
2. To exercise political authority; to run a government.
3. To control the actions or behavior of; to keep under control; to restrain.
4. To exercise a deciding or determining influence on.
5. To have or exercise a determining influence.
6. (obsolete) To handle, to manage, to oversee (a matter, an affair, a household, etc.).
7. To control the speed, flow etc. of; to regulate.
8. (obsolete) To direct the course of, to guide in some direction, to steer.
9. (obsolete) To look after, to take care of, to tend to (someone or some plant).
10. (obsolete) To manage, to control, to work (a tool or mechanical device).
11. To require that a certain preposition, grammatical case, etc. be used with a word; sometimes used synonymously with collocate.

rule

control

rule over

be master

pay attention to

require

take hold of

wield

be attentive

be attentive to

be in power

cry out for

hold in check

hold sway

call the tune

tie up in a bundle

gain control of something

be at the helm of the state

be in the saddle

direct things

exercise the government

exercise the right to command

manage the government

regulate by authority

restain

stage direct

speed regulation

speed governing

velocity modulation

be in charge

draw rein

Frequency

Hyphenated as

gov‧ern

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈɡʌvən/

From Middle English governen, governe, from Anglo-Norman and Old French governer, guverner, from Latin gubernō, from Ancient Greek κυβερνάω (kubernáō, “I steer, drive, govern”).

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