Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Govern \Gov"ern\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Governed}; p. pr. & vb.
   n. {Governing}.] [OF. governer, F. gouverner, fr. L.
   gubernare to steer, pilot, govern, Gr. kyberna^n. Cf.
   {Gubernatorial}.]
   1. To direct and control, as the actions or conduct of men,
      either by established laws or by arbitrary will; to
      regulate by authority. ``Fit to govern and rule
      multitudes.'' --Shak.

   2. To regulate; to influence; to direct; to restrain; to
      manage; as, to govern the life; to govern a horse.

            Govern well thy appetite.             --Milton.

   3. (Gram.) 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.

Govern \Gov"ern\, v. i.
   To exercise authority; to administer the laws; to have the
   control. --Dryden.

Source : WordNet®

govern
     v 1: bring into conformity with rules or principles or usage;
          impose regulations; "We cannot regulate the way people
          dress"; "This town likes to regulate" [syn: {regulate},
          {regularize}, {regularise}, {order}] [ant: {deregulate}]
     2: direct or strongly influence the behavior of; "His belief in
        God governs his conduct"
     3: exercise authority over; as of nations; "Who is governing
        the country now?" [syn: {rule}]
     4: require to be in a certain grammatical case, voice, or mood;
        "most transitive verbs govern the accusative case in
        German"