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Webster 1913 Edition

Governor

Gov′ern-or

,
Noun.
[OE.
governor
,
governour
, OF.
governeor
, F.
gouverneur
, fr. L.
gubernator
steersman, ruler, governor. See
Govern
.]
1.
One who governs; especially, one who is invested with the supreme executive authority in a State; a chief ruler or magistrate;
as, the
governor
of Pennsylvania
.
“The governor of the town.”
Shak.
2.
One who has the care or guardianship of a young man; a tutor; a guardian.
3.
(Naut.)
A pilot; a steersman.
[R.]
☞ The illustration shows a form of governor commonly used for steam engines, in wich a heavy sleeve (a) sliding on a rapidly revolving spindle (b), driven by the engine, is raised or lowered, when the speed varies, by the changing centrifugal force of two balls (c c) to which it is connected by links (d d), the balls being attached to arms (e e) which are jointed to the top of the spindle. The sleeve is connected with the throttle valve or cut-off through a lever (f), and its motion produces a greater supply of steam when the engine runs too slowly and a less supply when too fast.
Governor cut-off
(Steam Engine)
,
a variable cut-off gear in which the governor acts in such a way as to cause the steam to be cut off from entering the cylinder at points of the stroke dependent upon the engine’s speed.
–
Hydraulic governor
(Mach.)
,
a governor which is operated by the action of a liquid in flowing; a cataract.

Webster 1828 Edition

Governor

GOV'ERNOR

,
Noun.
He that governs, rules or directs; one invested with supreme authority. The Creator is the rightful governor of all his creatures.
1.
One who is invested with supreme authority to administer or enforce the laws; the supreme executive magistrate of a state, commmunity, corporation or post. Thus, in America, each state has its governor; Canada has its governor.
2.
A tutor; one who has the care of a young man; one who instructs him and forms his manners.
3.
A pilot; one who steers a ship. James 3.
4.
One possessing delegated authority. Joseph was governor over the land of Egypt. Obadiah was governor over Ahab's house. Damascus had a governor under Aretas the king.

Definition 2025

Governor

Governor

See also: governor

English

Noun

Governor ‎(uncountable)

  1. The title for someone who holds the governor job.

governor

governor

See also: Governor

English

See also: Governor
A flyball governor (mechanical), connected to a linkage to regulate flow.

Alternative forms

Noun

governor ‎(plural governors, feminine governess)

  1. (politics) The chief executive officer of a province or provincial-level division of a country.
    • 1999, Karen O'Connor, The essentials of American government: continuity and change, p 17
      Younger voters are more libertarian in political philosophy than older voters and are credited with the success of libertarian governor Jesse Ventura of Minnesota
  2. A device which regulates or controls some action of a machine through automatic feedback.
  3. A member of a decision-making for an organization or entity (including some public agencies) similar to or equivalent to a board of directors (used especially for banks); a member of the board of governors.
    The seven members of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System are nominated by the President and confirmed by the Senate.
    Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, www.federalreserve.gov (November 6, 2009)
  4. (informal) father.
    • 1869, Louisa May Alcott, An Old-Fashioned Girl:
      "Say 'father.' We never called him papa; and if one of my brothers had addressed him as 'governor,' as boys do now, I really think he'd have him cut off with a shilling."
  5. (informal) Boss, employer.
  6. (grammar) A constituent of a phrase that governs another.
  7. (dated) One who has the care or guardianship of a young man; a tutor; a guardian.
  8. (nautical) A pilot; a steersman.

Synonyms

Derived terms

Related terms

Descendants

  • Bahamian Creole: governor
  • Belizean Creole: govna
  • Gullah: gobna
  • Krio: governor
  • Pichinglis: gɔvna, gɔbna
  • Pijin: gavna
  • Tobagonian Creole English: governor

Translations

Etymology

From Middle English govenour, from Old French gouvreneur, from Latin gubernator, from Ancient Greek κυβερνήτης ‎(kubernḗtēs, “steersman, pilot, guide”), from κυβερνάω ‎(kubernáō, “to steer, to drive, to guide, to act as a pilot”), from a Mediterranean substrate, likely Pre-Greek.

Pronunciation

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