Definition of government

• n. - The act of governing; the exercise of authority; the administration of laws; control; direction; regulation; as, civil, church, or family government.
• n. - The mode of governing; the system of polity in a state; the established form of law.
• n. - The right or power of governing; authority.
• n. - The person or persons authorized to administer the laws; the ruling power; the administration.
• n. - The body politic governed by one authority; a state; as, the governments of Europe.
• n. - Management of the limbs or body.
• n. - The influence of a word in regard to construction, requiring that another word should be in a particular case.