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government
- Main Entry:
- gov·ern·ment
- Pronunciation:
-
\ˈgə-vər(n)-mənt, -və-mənt; ˈgə-bəm-ənt, -vəm-\
- Function:
- noun
- Usage:
- often attributive
- Date:
- 14th century
1: the act or process of governing; specifically : authoritative direction or control2obsolete : moral conduct or behavior : discretion3 a: the office, authority, or function of governing bobsolete : the term during which a governing official holds office4: the continuous exercise of authority over and the performance of functions for a political unit : rule5 a: the organization, machinery, or agency through which a political unit exercises authority and performs functions and which is usually classified according to the distribution of power within it b: the complex of political institutions, laws, and customs through which the function of governing is carried out6: the body of persons that constitutes the governing authority of a political unit or organization: as a: the officials comprising the governing body of a political unit and constituting the organization as an active agency bcapitalized : the executive branch of the United States federal government ccapitalized : a small group of persons holding simultaneously the principal political executive offices of a nation or other political unit and being responsible for the direction and supervision of public affairs: (1): such a group in a parliamentary system constituted by the cabinet or by the ministry (2): administration 4b 7: political science
— gov·ern·men·tal \ˌgə-vər(n)-ˈmen-təl\ adjective — gov·ern·men·tal·ize \-tə-ˌlīz\ transitive verb — gov·ern·men·tal·ly \-təl-ē\ adverb
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