to rule over by right of authority: to govern a nation.
2.
to exercise a directing or restraining influence over; guide: the motives governing a decision.
3.
to hold in check; control: to govern one's temper.
4.
to serve as or constitute a law for: the principles governing a case.
5.
Grammar. to be regularly accompanied by or require the use of (a particular form). In They helped us, the verb helped governs the objective case of the pronoun we.
6.
to regulate the speed of (an engine) with a governor.
–verb (used without object)
7.
to exercise the function of government.
8.
to have predominating influence.
[Origin: 1250–1300; ME < OF gouverner < L gubernāre to steer (a ship) < Gk kybernân to steer]
1297, from O.Fr. governer "govern," from L. gubernare "to direct, rule, guide," originally "to steer," from Gk. kybernan "to steer or pilot a ship, direct" (the root of cybernetics). The -k- to -g- sound shift is perhaps via the medium of Etruscan. Governess "female ruler" is 1483, shortening of governouresse "a woman who rules;" in the sense of "a female teacher in a private home" it is attested from 1712. Government is first attested 1553, from O.Fr. governement (replacing M.E. governance); governor (c.1300) is from L. gubernatorem (nom. gubernator) "director, ruler, governor," originally "steersman, pilot." Gubernatorial (1734, chiefly in Amer.Eng.) preserves the L. form.
bring into conformity with rules or principles or usage; impose regulations; "We cannot regulate the way people dress"; "This town likes to regulate" [syn: regulate] [ant: deregulate]
2.
direct or strongly influence the behavior of; "His belief in God governs his conduct"
3.
exercise authority over; as of nations; "Who is governing the country now?"
4.
require to be in a certain grammatical case, voice, or mood; "most transitive verbs govern the accusative case in German"
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. kyberna^n. 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. --Milton. 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.
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Audio Help [guhv-ern] Pronunciation Key 
