- (v.t.) To regulate; to influence; to direct; to restrain; to manage; as, to govern the life; to govern a horse.
- (v.t.) To direct and control, as the actions or conduct of men, either by established laws or by arbitrary will; to regulate by authority.
- (v.i.) To exercise authority; to administer the laws; to have the control.
- (v.t.) To require to be in a particular case; as, a transitive verb governs a noun in the objective case; or to require (a particular case); as, a transitive verb governs the objective case.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
| APA | Webster's. (2011). govern. Retrieved September 21, 2026, from http://smartdefine.org/govern/definitions/2013219 |
| Chicago | Webster's. 2011. "govern" http://smartdefine.org/govern/definitions/2013219 (accessed September 21, 2026). |
| Harvard | Webster's 2011, govern, Smart Define, viewed 21 September, 2026, <http://smartdefine.org/govern/definitions/2013219>. |
| MLA | Webster's. "govern" 27 May 2011. Web. 21 September 2026. <http://smartdefine.org/govern/definitions/2013219> |