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| v. gov·erned, gov·ern·ing, gov·erns v. tr. 1. To make and administer the public policy and affairs of (a state, for example); exercise sovereign authority over. 2. To control the speed or magnitude of; regulate: a valve that governs fuel intake. 3. To control the actions or behavior of: Govern yourselves like civilized people. 4. To keep under control; restrain: a student who could not govern his impulses. 5. To exercise a deciding or determining influence on: Chance usually governs the outcome of the game. 6. Grammar To require (a specific morphological form) of accompanying words. v. intr. 1. To exercise political authority. 2. To have or exercise a determining influence. [Middle English governen, from Old French governer, from Latin gubernāre, from Greek kubernān; see CYBERNETICS.] govern·a·ble adj. |
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