Webster's English Dictionary

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govern

gov.ern \'g*v-*rn\ \-*r-n*-b*l\ vb [ME governen, fr. OF governer, fr. L 
   gubernare to steer, gove]rn, fr. Gk kybernan 1a: to exercise continuous 
   sovereign authority over; esp : to cont rol and direct the making and 
   administration of policy in 1b: to rule without sovereign power usu. 
   without having the authority to d etermine basic policy archaic  2a: 
   MANIPULATE  2b: to control the speed of by automatic means  3a: to control, 
   direct, or strongly influence the actions and conduct of  3b: DETERMINE, 
   REGULATE  3c: to hold in check : RESTRAIN  4: to require (a word) to be in 
   a certain case or mood {in English a tra nsitive verb ~s a noun in the 
   common case} 5: to constitute a rule or law for  1: to prevail or have 
   decisive influence : CONTROL  2: to exercise authority rolling others. 
   GOVERN implies the aim of keeping in a straight course or smooth operation 
   for the good of the individual and the whole; RULE more often suggests the 
   exercise of despotic or arbitrary power - gov.ern.able aj SYN syn GOVERN, 
   RULE mean to exercise power or authority in cont