governed

gov·ern  (gvrn)

v. gov·erned, gov·ern·ing, gov·erns

v.tr.

1. To make and administer the public policy and affairs of; exercise sovereign authority in.

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 gubernre, from Greek kubernn.]

---

govern·a·ble adj.

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

governed - the body of people who are citizens of a particular government; "governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed"--Declaration of Independence citizenry, people - the body of citizens of a state or country; "the Spanish people"