Meaning of Government by Lexico

Table of Contents

Pronunciation /ˈɡʌv(ə)nˌm(ə)nt/

noun

1treated as singular or plural The group of people with the authority to govern a country or state; a particular ministry in office.

‘the government’s economic record’

‘successive Labour governments’
- ‘We have seen successive governments and home secretaries promise to be tough on crime.’
- ‘He was to form no less than fourteen governments as Prime Minister during the rest of his life.’
- ‘They have never had much faith in governments and have always believed in direct action.’
- ‘But we need to build a movement so strong that it can force the governments of the world to act.’
- ‘In truth the problems facing the American and British governments are of their own making.’
- ‘We are of the view that governments are there to serve the needs of the people and maximise the benefits for all.’
- ‘We know that people have worked hard for their money, and that governments must spend it wisely.’
- ‘Do you feel confident that the federal government is doing enough to secure air travel?’
- ‘One of the immediate tasks of a new government and the international community will be bringing war criminals to justice.’
- ‘It is going to be interesting to see how long the federal government waits before stepping in.’
- ‘Giving and receiving freedom will take only a day, but running a government and a nation is not an easy task.’
- ‘However, that was a political decision based on the actions of an entire nation and its government.’
- ‘The federal government has been unsuccessful for ten years in negotiating a peace.’
- ‘At the low point, the US government appealed to foreign nations to contribute to the work.’
- ‘Has there been a new era of provincial partnership with the federal government?’
- ‘After all, it was the nation, the government, who would pay, not the hospitals.’
- ‘He was told that Washington wants a strong central government in the country.’
- ‘I attended law school and worked as an attorney for a state government agency for 10 years.’
- ‘Let’s consider for a moment the possibility of a minority government being elected in the next federal vote.’
- ‘The country’s government is now keen to attract western investment into other sectors.’
- ‘But, as of midnight tomorrow, government funding for that contract will stop.’
administration, executive, regime, authority, powers that be, directorate, council, leadership, management

View synonyms
1. 1.1mass noun The system by which a state or community is governed.
  
  ‘a democratic form of government’
  ‘The American bureaucracy fits somewhat awkwardly into its democratic system of government.’
  
  ‘It is about whether we will have a system of government and a social system in which we see each other as equals.’
  
  ‘Is a democratic form of government a necessary pre-condition for the existence of human rights?’
  
  ‘This in turn would pose dangers to the operation of democratic government within the United States.’
  
  ‘This makes democratic government in such states impossible, for the natural terminus is a single dominant party.’
  
  ‘He appears to have thought that Communism was as good as any other system of government.’
  
  ‘Australia is a parliamentary democracy based on the British system of government.’
  
  ‘Our system of government can be called many things, but democracy is certainly is not.’
  
  ‘The tradition is a legacy from the days when Democrats dominated state government.’
  
  ‘Once upon a time, democratic government at all levels, reflected the views of the majority of the people.’
  
  ‘It means a form of government which is fully democratic and entirely accountable.’
  
  ‘First, federalism can deliver a model of limited, democratic government within a nation.’
  
  ‘As time moves on we see more States conforming to this system of government.’
  
  ‘We must try to live up to our stated principles of human rights, the rule of law and democratic government.’
  
  ‘Is this really the way in which democratic government should work, where a minority hold sway over the ignored majority?’
  
  ‘The Republic of Cyprus is a democracy with a presidential system of government.’
  
  ‘The blame lies with central government which has restricted local council funding.’
  
  ‘We are not in the area of common law or a unitary system of government.’
  
  ‘With it went the whole structure of provincial, local, and municipal government.’
  
  ‘A second shift is to move tax and spending from federal government to states and towns.’
2. 1.2mass noun The action or manner of controlling or regulating a state, organization, or people.
  
  ‘rules for the government of the infirmary’
  ‘She advocates the control of the excesses of capitalism by regulation and government.’
  
  ‘He’s talking about class and race and a vision of how government can help regular people.’
  
  ‘In its period in government the party encouraged religious prejudices and backwardness.’
  
  ‘The Commission’s work has also influenced the manner in which government operates.’
  
  ‘Policy, in that key meaning, is part of the rational management and conduct of government.’
  
  ‘None the less skill and wisdom were needed in politics and the business of good government.’
  
  ‘English is spoken by most people in government, business, and tourism.’
  
  ‘The privatizers traditionally claim that government has no business in business.’
  
  ‘The War Crimes act was passed while the Conservative Party was in government.’
  
  ‘A simple view suggests that the making of foreign policy is the exclusive business of government.’
  
  ‘Government by organized money is just as dangerous as government by organized mob.’
  
  ‘On the one hand, this faith in government helped promote a high rate of investment.’
  
  ‘It has acknowledged that the Labour Party can be the only major party of stable government in this nation.’
  
  ‘They will be forced to turn to the Social Democrats who remain in government to work together.’
  
  ‘In an age of open government the system is still adept at keeping the public in the dark.’
  
  ‘Is this something the Liberal Democrats in government will seek to change?’
  
  ‘Democracy is government by the greater number, and this is the system we have chosen to be governed by.’
  
  ‘Surely the Liberal Democrats are in government and the money is designated only for opposition parties?’
  
  ‘Liberal Democrats in government in Scotland have set the new agenda for devolution.’
  
  ‘How does the historian account for that relationship and its government of people’s lives?’
  rule, running, direction, administration, leadership, leading, control, regulation, guidance, guiding, management, conduct, supervision, superintendence, steering
  
  View synonyms
2Grammar
The relation between a governed and a governing word.
- ‘It seems that English allots its nominative and oblique forms of pronouns in terms of position, not true government as in German.’
- ‘I’m tempted to suggest that government by the nearest conjunct is in fact the rule for vernacular English.’
- ‘There’s a lot more variation going on with the government of forms of complement verbs than most scholars of English think.’