govern
verb OPAL W
/ˈɡʌvn/
/ˈɡʌvərn/
Verb Forms
| present simple I / you / we / they govern | /ˈɡʌvn/ /ˈɡʌvərn/ |
| he / she / it governs | /ˈɡʌvnz/ /ˈɡʌvərnz/ |
| past simple governed | /ˈɡʌvnd/ /ˈɡʌvərnd/ |
| past participle governed | /ˈɡʌvnd/ /ˈɡʌvərnd/ |
| -ing form governing | /ˈɡʌvnɪŋ/ /ˈɡʌvərnɪŋ/ |
- [transitive, intransitive] govern (something) to legally control a country or its people and be responsible for introducing new laws, organizing public services, etc.
- The country is governed by elected representatives of the people.
- He accused the opposition party of being unfit to govern.
Extra ExamplesTopics Politicsb2- The colony was governed directly from Paris.
- He could not implement his radical policies without a long-term mandate to govern.
- The PCP had governed the province for 23 years.
- There were four parties governing in coalition.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb- effectively
- well
- directly
- …
- be fit to
- be unfit to
- [transitive, often passive] govern something to control or influence somebody/something or how something happens, functions, etc.
- We need changes in the law governing school attendance.
- Prices are governed by market demand.
- All his decisions have been entirely governed by self-interest.
Extra Examples- It is these springs that govern how firm or soft the mattress is.
- Special regulations govern the operation of such businesses.
- The financial rules governing the adoption of the euro needed to be changed.
- [transitive] govern something (grammar) if a word governs another word or phrase, it affects how that word or phrase is formed or used
Word OriginMiddle English: from Old French governer, from Latin gubernare ‘to steer, rule’, from Greek kubernan ‘to steer’.