See Also: Government(medicine)
government(dictionary)
big government(dictionary)
government(encyclopedia)
government(dictionary)
CITY, government(law)
C0@MMISSION, government(law)
AUTHORITY, government(law)
ADMINISTRATION, government(law)
COMMONWEALTH, government(law)

government (iou)



government noun & adjective. LME.
[Old French governement (mod. gouvernement), formed as GOVERN: see -MENT.]
A. noun.
The action of governing; continuous exercise of authority over subjects; authoritative direction or regulation; control; chiefly spec. the action of governing the affairs of a State; political rule and administration. LME.
J. Bentham The business of government is to promote the happiness of the society by punishing and rewarding. Tennyson They [horses]..felt Her low firm voice and tender government.
b. Guidance (in action). arch. E18.
L. Murray Examples..which may serve as some government to the scholar.
The manner in which a person's action is governed; demeanour; conduct. LME-M17.
The function of governing; authority to govern. LME.
Spenser The first..Of all the house had charge and governement, As Guardian and Steward.
b. An appointment as governor. E17-E19.
The (freq. specified) system by which a nation, community, etc., is governed. LME.
civil government, coalition government, constitutional government, local government, military government, republican government, etc.
T. Gray Three sorts of government, Despotism, the limited Monarchy, and the Republican. G. Bancroft Government, in early times, was very imperfectly organized.
The fact that a particular person governs. M16.
W. Robertson The government of a Queen was unknown in Scotland.
b. (Freq. Government.) Period of governing, tenure of office. E17.
Marvell God..bless your Majesty with a long and happy Government.
Hist. The area ruled over by a governor; a subdivision of a kingdom or empire (esp. in France or Russia). E17.
C. Whitworth In 1710, the Czar..divided the Empire into eight governments.
(Freq. Government.) The governing power in a State; the body or successive bodies of people governing a State; the State as an agent; an administration, a ministry. E18.
form a government (of a Prime Minister etc.) establish an administration esp. after a general election.
Southey Government are acting like themselves. W. S. Churchill The Government advise the House, and the House decides.
b. In pl. Government securities. L19.
Grammar. The influence of one word over another in determining the case of a noun, the mood of a verb, etc. M18.
Comb.: government house, Government House the official residence of a governor; government man (a) Austral. History a convict; (b) a government official; Government paper, Government securities bonds or other promissory certificates issued by a government; government stroke Austral. (a) Hist. a convict's work rate; (b) slang lazy or leisurely work rate; government surplus unwanted equipment sold by the government through retailers (freq. government-surplus attrib.).
b. attrib. or as adjective. Of or pertaining to government esp. of a State. L18.
govern'mental adjective of or pertaining to a government, esp. of a State: M18.
govern'mentally adverb L19.