Gŏv'ern-ment, n.

n. [Fr. gouvernement, Pr. governament, O. Sp. gobernamiento, It. governamento.]

1. The act of governing; the exercise of authority; the administration of laws; control; direction; restraint; regulation; as, civil, church, or family government.
2. The mode of governing; the system of polity in a state; the established form of law; as, a republican government.

That free government we have so dearly purchased, a free commonwealth. Milton. 3. The right or power of governing; authority. I here resign my government to thee. Shak.

4. The person or persons authorized to govern or administer the laws; the ruling power; the administration; as, to be obedient to the government; to rebel against the government.
5. The body politic governed by one authority; a commonwealth; a state; as, the governments of Europe.
6. Management of the limbs or body. [Obs.] Spenser.
7. (Gram.) The influence of a word in regard to construction, requiring that one word should cause another to be in a particular case or mode.