govern

Where “govern” sits in English frequency

Definition

1. 1
   To make and administer the public policy and affairs of; to exercise sovereign authority in.
2. 2
   To exercise political authority; to run a government.
3. 3
   To control the actions or behavior of; to keep under control; to restrain.
4. 4
   To exercise a deciding or determining influence on.
5. 5
   To have or exercise a determining influence.
6. 6
   To handle, to manage, to oversee (a matter, an affair, a household, etc.).
7. 7
   To control the speed, flow etc. of; to regulate.
8. 8
   To direct the course of, to guide in some direction, to steer.
9. 9
   To look after, to take care of, to tend to (someone or some plant).
10. 10
    To manage, to control, to work (a tool or mechanical device).
11. 11
    To require that a certain preposition, grammatical case, etc. be used with a word.

Etymology

From Middle English governen, governe, from Anglo-Norman and Old French governer, guverner, from Latin gubernō, from Ancient Greek κυβερνάω (kubernáō, “to steer, drive, govern”).

This word in other languages

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ggovern,goevrn,govenr,governn,goverrn,govren,govvern,gvoern,ogvern

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of govern - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

Frequently Asked Questions