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1. Dictionary

   govern

   /ˈɡʌvn/

   verb

   • 1. conduct the policy, actions, and affairs of (a state, organization, or people) with authority: "he was incapable of governing the country" Similar rulepreside overbe in power overreign overcontrolexercise control overhave control ofbe in control ofbe in charge ofcommandhold sway overhegemonizeleadbe the leader ofdominaterunheaddirectadministerordermanageregulateguideconductoverseesupervisesuperintendbe at the helm ofsteerpilotinformal:be in the driving seatliterary:sway
   • ▪ control, influence, or regulate (a person, action, or course of events): "the future of Jamaica will be governed by geography not history" Similar determinedecidecontrolregulatedirectruledictateconditionformshapeaffecthave an effect oninfluenceexert influence onbe a factor inswayact onwork onmouldmodifyaltertouchhave an impact onimpact on
   • ▪ conduct oneself, especially with regard to controlling one's emotions: "he does not have the ability to govern himself or others successfully" Similar controlrestrainkeep in checkcheckcurbhold backkeep backbridlerein inkeep a tight rein onsubdueconstraincontain
   • ▪ serve to decide (a legal case).
   • 2. (of a word) require that (another word or group of words) be in a particular case: "the Latin preposition ‘cum’ governs nouns in the ablative"

   Word Origin Middle English: from Old French governer, from Latin gubernare ‘to steer, rule’, from Greek kubernan ‘to steer’.

   Derivatives

   • 1. governability noun
   • 2. governable adjective

   Scrabble Points: 10

   • G

     2

   • O

     1

   • V

     4

   • E

     1

   • R

     1

   • N

     1

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