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# govern

verb (govern, governs, governed, governing)

«govern» in the English dictionary: everyday and in Jewish tradition — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. To govern is to rule a country, state or group officially. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/G/govern/#m1)
2. To govern something is to control or decide how it happens: rules govern the game. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/G/govern/#m2)
3. (formal) To control your feelings: govern your temper. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/G/govern/#m3)

### In the lessons

Citizenship and history lessons (who governs the country), science (laws that govern motion), games and sport (rules that govern play).

### Examples

- The prime minister and parliament govern the country. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/G/govern/#x1)
- Rules govern how the game is played. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/G/govern/#x2)
- Gravity governs how planets move. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/G/govern/#x3)
- Try to govern your temper. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/G/govern/#x4)
- The queen governed for many years. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/G/govern/#x5)
- A council governs our town. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/G/govern/#x6)
- The Frogs were tired of governing themselves. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/G/govern/#x7)

### Note

Nouns: government, governor. In grammar, «govern» is also used for words that control another word's form (advanced).

## In Jewish tradition

To govern is to rule. In the Prophets and Writings it is used for kings ruling a kingdom, and for the question whether someone who hates justice can truly rule.

**Interpretation.** Tradition teaches that rulers must be just, since a kingdom held by one who hates right cannot last.

### Examples

- Shall even one that hateth right govern? (Writings JOB.34.17, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/G/govern/#x1)
- And Jezebel his wife said unto him: 'Dost thou now govern the kingdom of Israel? arise, and eat bread, and let thy heart be merry; I will give thee the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.' (Prophets 1KI.21.7, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/G/govern/#x2)

### Note

Nouns: government, governor. In grammar, «govern» is also used for words that control another word's form (advanced).

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «govern» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/G/govern/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«govern» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/govern.html) on Mova free.
- [Trees and pragmatics of «govern» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/G/govern/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«govern» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/judaism/w/govern.html) on Mova free.