From Middle English governen, governe, from Anglo-Norman and Old French governer, guverner, from Latin gubernō, from Ancient Greek κυβερνάω (kubernáō, “to steer, drive, govern”). Displaced native Old English wealdan, whence modern dialectical English wald (“to govern”).
From Middle English governen, governe, from Anglo-Norman and Old French governer, guverner, from Latin gubernō, from Ancient Greek κυβερνάω (kubernáō, “to steer, drive, govern”). Displaced native Old English wealdan, whence modern dialectical English wald (“to govern”).
Meanings
(transitive) To make and administer the public policy and affairs of; to exercise sovereign authority in.
The old king governed the land wisely.
(intransitive) To exercise political authority; to run a government.
Americans are not libertarians in the Cato Institute sense of the word, but they are folk libertarians in this sense of impulsive behaviour, which is a feature of American life that anyone who wants to govern the United States, Democratic or Republican, has to be aware of. 2025 April 28, Ross Douthat, Nick Adams, “Condition of America”, in New Left Review, number 152, →ISSN, archived from the original on 22 Aug 2025:
(transitive) To control the actions or behavior of; to keep under control; to restrain.
a student who could not govern his impulses
Govern yourselves like civilized people.
This female hyena also gets erections and is larger, more aggressive than the male hyenas and lives in matrilineal clans of up to 80 individuals governed by an alpha female matriarch. 2022 June 12, Katie Hunt, “How zoology got female animals all wrong”, in CNN, archived from the original on 17 Aug 2022:
Find the strength, courage, and discipline to govern yourself or be governed by someone else. 2016, Justin Deschamps, Find the strength, courage, and discipline to govern yourself or be governed by someone else.:
(transitive) To exercise a deciding or determining influence on.
Chance governs the outcome of many card games.
(intransitive) To have or exercise a determining influence.
(obsolete, transitive) To handle, to manage, to oversee (a matter, an affair, a household, etc.).
(transitive) To control the speed, flow etc. of; to regulate.
The weight and c.g. of the aircraft were within limits at takeoff and were calculated to have remained so until the tail began to disintegrate in flight. Both engines were developing a high level of power at impact, and the APU was rotating at or near governed speed. The landing gear, flaps, and spoiler/speed brakes were retracted. There was no evidence of structural or system failures other than those directly resulting from the fire. 1968 April 18, National Transportation Safety Board, “2.1 Analysis”, in Aircraft Accident Report: Mohawk Airlines, Inc., BAC 1-11, N1116J, Near Blossburg, Pennsylvania, June 23, 1967, archived from the original on 24 Jun 2022, page 33:
a valve that governs fuel intake
The investigation reveals that flutter onset is consistently governed by the coupling of the first two structural modes, establishing the primary instability boundary, while a secondary instability pathway involving the third and fourth modes uniquely emerges for the fully extended wing. 2026, Tianxing Chen, Kun Guo, Huichao Deng, Yuchen Xia, Hao Luo, Yunlong Li and Xiuwei Tian, “Flutter Analysis of a Morphing Wing Considering Fluid–Thermal–Structure Coupling”, in AIAA Journal:
(obsolete, transitive) To direct the course of, to guide in some direction, to steer.
(obsolete, transitive) To look after, to take care of, to tend to (someone or some plant).
from my vncles country of Medea,
Where all my youth I haue bene gouerned, […] c. 1587–1588 (date written), [Christopher Marlowe], Tamburlaine the Great. […] The First Part […], 2nd edition, part 1, London: […] [R. Robinson for] Richard Iones, […], published 1592, →OCLC; reprinted as Tamburlaine the Great (A Scolar Press Facsimile), Menston, Yorkshire; London: Scolar Press, 1973, →ISBN, Act I, scene ii:
(obsolete, transitive) To manage, to control, to work (a tool or mechanical device).
(transitive) To require that a certain preposition, grammatical case, etc. be used with a word.
In Latin (Russian, German, etc.), not only verbs, but also prepositions, may govern the noun, pronoun or noun-phrase dependent upon them in a particular case: e.g. ad urbem, ‘to the city’ (ad ‘takes the accusative’: urbem) v. ab urbe, ‘from the city’ (ab ‘takes the ablative’: urbe). 1968, John Lyons, Introduction to Theoretical Linguistics, Cambridge University Press, →ISBN, page 241:
fa حکومت کردن (to exercise sovereign authority in) · sv regera (to exercise sovereign authority in) · ro regulariza (to control the actions of) · grc εὐθύνω (to exercise sovereign authority in) · nl leiden ((intr.) to exercise political authority) · fi määrätä ((intr.) to have a determining influence) · nl regelen (to control the speed or magnitude of) · cs ovládat (to control the actions of) · ru пра́вить (to exercise sovereign authority in) · ro guverna ((intr.) to exercise political authority) · atv пашкарарга (to exercise sovereign authority in) · tet ukun (to exercise sovereign authority in) · kk басқару (to exercise sovereign authority in) · bg управля́вам ((intr.) to exercise political authority) · da beherske (to exercise sovereign authority in) · hu szabályoz (to control the speed or magnitude of) · nl bepalen (to exercise a determining influence on) · sl obvladati (to control the actions of) · hu irányít (to control the actions of) · ro conduce (to exercise a determining influence on) · ru регули́ровать (to control the speed or magnitude of) · yue 統攝 /统摄 (to control the actions of) · lo ປົກຄອງ (to exercise sovereign authority in) · ro reglementa (to control the actions of) · cy arglwyddïo (to exercise sovereign authority in) · pl władać (to exercise sovereign authority in) · kmr îdare kirin (to exercise sovereign authority in) · ro conduce ((intr.) to have a determining influence) · bg управля́вам (to exercise sovereign authority in) · nl regeren (to exercise sovereign authority in) · sh vládati (to exercise sovereign authority in) · ro regla (to control the actions of) · uk керува́ти (to control the speed or magnitude of) · sl obvladovati (to control the actions of) · rm regner (to exercise sovereign authority in) · af regeer ((intr.) to exercise political authority) · ka მმართველობა (to exercise sovereign authority in) · af beheer (to control the actions of) · uk вплива́ти ((intr.) to have a determining influence) · uk регулюва́ти (to control the speed or magnitude of) · bn শাসন করা (to exercise sovereign authority in) · da lede (to control the speed or magnitude of) · kmr rêvebirin (to exercise sovereign authority in) · af beheer (to control the speed or magnitude of) · vi chỉ đạo (to exercise sovereign authority in) · da herske ((intr.) to have a determining influence) · cs ovládat (to control the speed or magnitude of) · vo guverön (to exercise sovereign authority in) · vec guernar (to exercise sovereign authority in) · lt valdyti (to exercise sovereign authority in) · hu vezet (to exercise sovereign authority in) · af regeer (to exercise sovereign authority in) · pl zarządzać (to control the actions of) · af reguleer (to control the speed or magnitude of) · ru управля́ть (to control the actions of) · ru управлять (grammar: to require that a certain preposition, grammatical case, etc. be used with a word) · hu irányít ((intr.) to exercise political authority) · tr idare etmek (to exercise sovereign authority in) · uz idora qilmoq (to exercise sovereign authority in) · nb styre (to exercise sovereign authority in) · da styre (to control the speed or magnitude of) · la regō (to exercise sovereign authority in) · de lenken (to exercise a determining influence on) · bg влия́я (to exercise a determining influence on) · sl vladati ((intr.) to exercise political authority) · sk riadiť (to exercise sovereign authority in) · km គ្រប់គ្រង (to exercise sovereign authority in) · rm regnar (to exercise sovereign authority in) · mi whakahaere tikanga (to exercise sovereign authority in) · sh ùpravljati (to exercise sovereign authority in) · sc cuberrare (to exercise sovereign authority in) · es gobernar ((intr.) to exercise political authority) · scn guvirnari (to exercise sovereign authority in) · sq qeveris (to exercise sovereign authority in) · ht gouvène (to exercise sovereign authority in) · af bepaal (to control the speed or magnitude of) · hu kormányoz (to exercise sovereign authority in) · da styre (to control the actions of) · ar تَحَكَّمَ (to exercise sovereign authority in) · cmn 統治 /统治 (to exercise sovereign authority in) · ko 통치하다 (to exercise sovereign authority in) · ro dirija ((intr.) to have a determining influence) · uk пра́вити (to exercise sovereign authority in) · cy awdurdodi ((intr.) to exercise political authority) · uz boshqarmoq (to exercise sovereign authority in) · be кірава́ць (to exercise sovereign authority in) · sh вла́дати (to exercise sovereign authority in) · bg направля́вам (to control the actions of) · my အုပ်စိုး (to exercise sovereign authority in) · da regere over (to exercise sovereign authority in) · ka მმართველობს (to exercise sovereign authority in) · da regere ((intr.) to exercise political authority) · ar حَكَمَ (to exercise sovereign authority in) · ro guverna (to exercise sovereign authority in) · de regeln ((intr.) to have a determining influence) · hu kormányoz ((intr.) to exercise political authority) · sc guvernai (to exercise sovereign authority in) · hy կառավարել (to exercise sovereign authority in) · mn удирдах (to exercise sovereign authority in) · de regulieren (to control the actions of) · hu uralkodik (to control the actions of) · tk dolandyrmak (to exercise sovereign authority in) · sv härska (to exercise sovereign authority in) · hu irányít (to exercise sovereign authority in) · fur guviernâ (to exercise sovereign authority in) · hu igazgat (to exercise sovereign authority in) · scn cuvirnari (to exercise sovereign authority in) · alt башкарар (to exercise sovereign authority in) · cmn 統攝 /统摄 (to control the actions of) · hu féken tart (to control the actions of) · mn ᠤᠳᠤᠷᠢᠳᠬᠤ (to exercise sovereign authority in) · ko 다스리다 (to exercise sovereign authority in) · vec governar (to exercise sovereign authority in) · fi vaatia (grammar: to require that a certain preposition, grammatical case, etc. be used with a word) · tg идора кардан (to exercise sovereign authority in) · om bulchuu (to exercise sovereign authority in) · et juhtima (to exercise sovereign authority in) · et valitsema (to exercise sovereign authority in) · nb regjere (to exercise sovereign authority in) · arz حكم (to exercise sovereign authority in) · uk пра́вити ((intr.) to exercise political authority) · ja 支配する (to exercise sovereign authority in) · ru управля́ть (to exercise sovereign authority in) · rm riger (to exercise sovereign authority in) · nl beheersen (to control the actions of) · sk vládnuť (to exercise sovereign authority in) · de regieren ((intr.) to exercise political authority) · ca governar (to exercise sovereign authority in) · is stjórna (to exercise sovereign authority in) · az idarə etmək (to exercise sovereign authority in) · sl vladati (to exercise sovereign authority in) · sh у̀прављати (to exercise sovereign authority in) · mt iggverna (to exercise sovereign authority in) · af heers ((intr.) to exercise political authority) · ja 支配する (grammar: to require that a certain preposition, grammatical case, etc. be used with a word) · cs řídit (to exercise sovereign authority in) · vec goernar (to exercise sovereign authority in) · fi hallita (to exercise sovereign authority in) · ka მართავს (to exercise sovereign authority in) · it governare (to exercise sovereign authority in) · cmn 治 (to exercise sovereign authority in) · sv styra (to exercise sovereign authority in) · sc gruvennae (to exercise sovereign authority in) · es gobernar (to exercise sovereign authority in) · ur حکومت کرنا (to exercise sovereign authority in) · hi हुकूमत करना (to exercise sovereign authority in) · pt governar (to exercise sovereign authority in) · af bepaal (to exercise a determining influence on) · da styre (to exercise sovereign authority in) · ru управля́ть (to control the speed or magnitude of) · bg регули́рам (to control the speed or magnitude of) · fi säätää (to control the speed or magnitude of) · pl rządzić (to exercise sovereign authority in) · mk управува (to exercise sovereign authority in) · he מָשַׁל (to exercise sovereign authority in) · hu vonz (grammar: to require that a certain preposition, grammatical case, etc. be used with a word) · uk вплива́ти (to exercise a determining influence on) · ru владе́ть (to control the actions of) · ro cârmui (to exercise a determining influence on) · hu irányít (to exercise a determining influence on) · egy HqA-q-A-Y1V (to exercise sovereign authority in) · be пра́віць (to exercise sovereign authority in) · vo reigön (to exercise sovereign authority in) · sv styra (grammar: to require that a certain preposition, grammatical case, etc. be used with a word) · uk керува́ти (to control the actions of) · id memerintah (to exercise sovereign authority in) · gl governar (to exercise sovereign authority in) · ky башкаруу (to exercise sovereign authority in) · lv valdīt (to exercise sovereign authority in) · bg влия́я ((intr.) to have a determining influence) · nl besturen (to exercise sovereign authority in) · tt башкарырга (to exercise sovereign authority in) · ro regla (to control the speed or magnitude of) · ca governar ((intr.) to exercise political authority) · da styre ((intr.) to exercise political authority) · cs řídit (to exercise a determining influence on) · ka მართავს (to control the actions of) · lij governâ (to exercise sovereign authority in) · rm reger (to exercise sovereign authority in) · nl regeren ((intr.) to exercise political authority) · ru управля́ть ((intr.) to exercise political authority) · th ปกครอง (to exercise sovereign authority in) · cmn 治理 (to exercise sovereign authority in) · ps حکم چلول (to exercise sovereign authority in) · fi määrätä (to exercise a determining influence on) · da bestemme (to exercise a determining influence on) · vi cai trị (to exercise sovereign authority in) · mi kāwana (to exercise sovereign authority in) · uk керува́ти (to exercise sovereign authority in) · vi quản trị (to exercise sovereign authority in) · grc εὐθύνω (to exercise a determining influence on) · ru влия́ть ((intr.) to have a determining influence) · uk керува́ти ((intr.) to exercise political authority) · ka მართვა (to exercise sovereign authority in) · ast gobernar (to exercise sovereign authority in) · pl rządzić (to control the actions of) · hu vezérel (to control the speed or magnitude of) · de regeln (to control the speed or magnitude of) · ro dirija (to exercise a determining influence on) · de regieren (to exercise sovereign authority in) · hi शासन करना (to exercise sovereign authority in) · el κυβερνώ (to exercise sovereign authority in) · sa राष्टि (to exercise sovereign authority in) · my ကြီးကဲ (to exercise sovereign authority in) · cs vládnout (to exercise sovereign authority in) · fr gouverner (to exercise sovereign authority in) · fi hallita (to control the actions of) · vi chủ quản (to exercise sovereign authority in) · de steuern (to exercise sovereign authority in) · sc guvernare (to exercise sovereign authority in) · af heers ((intr.) to have a determining influence) · yi רעגירן (to exercise sovereign authority in) · ps حکومت کول (to exercise sovereign authority in) · ms memerintah (to exercise sovereign authority in) · ru влия́ть (to exercise a determining influence on) · cs vládnout ((intr.) to exercise political authority) · ja 統治する (to exercise sovereign authority in) · hu szabályoz (to control the actions of) · hu meghatároz (to exercise a determining influence on) · ar مَلَكَ (to exercise sovereign authority in) · la gubernō (to exercise sovereign authority in) · fi hallita ((intr.) to exercise political authority) · tr hüküm sürmek (to exercise sovereign authority in) · mfe gouverne (to exercise sovereign authority in)