1.The act of governing; the exercise of authority; the administration of laws; control; direction; regulation; as, civil, church, or family government.
2.The mode of governing; the system of polity in a state; the established form of law. "That free government which we have so dearly purchased, free commonwealth."
3.The right or power of governing; authority. "I here resign my government to thee."
4.The person or persons authorized to administer the laws; the ruling power; the administration. "When we, in England, speak of the government, we generally understand the ministers of the crown for the time being."
5.The body politic governed by one authority; a state; as, the governments of Europe.
6.Management of the limbs or body.
7.(Gram.) The influence of a word in regard to construction, requiring that another word should be in a particular case.
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