different between govern vs contrive

English

Etymology

From Middle English governen, governe, from Anglo-Norman and Old French governer, guverner, from Latin gubern?, from Ancient Greek ???????? (kuberná?, “I steer, drive, govern”)

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /???v?n/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /???v?n/
• Hyphenation: gov?ern
• Rhymes: -?v?(?)n

Verb

govern (third-person singular simple present governs, present participle governing, simple past and past participle governed)

1. (transitive) To make and administer the public policy and affairs of; to exercise sovereign authority in.

2. (transitive) To control the actions or behavior of; to keep under control; to restrain.
   • 2016, Justin Deschamps, Find the strength, courage, and discipline to govern yourself or be governed by someone else.

     Find the strength, courage, and discipline to govern yourself or be governed by someone else.

3. (transitive) To exercise a deciding or determining influence on.

4. (transitive) To control the speed, flow etc. of; to regulate.

5. (intransitive) To exercise political authority; to run a government.
6. (intransitive) To have or exercise a determining influence.
7. (transitive, grammar) To require that a certain preposition, grammatical case, etc. be used with a word; sometimes used synonymously with collocate.

Related terms

• government
• governance
• governor
• governess

Translations

Noun

govern (plural governs)

1. The act of governing

Catalan

Etymology

From the verb governar, or possibly from Late Latin gubernus or gubernius, from Latin gubernum or gubern?.

Pronunciation

• (Balearic, Valencian) IPA^(key): /?o?v??n/
• (Central) IPA^(key): /?u?b?rn/

Noun

govern m (plural governs)

1. government

Related terms

• governar

References

Further reading

• “govern” in Diccionari de la llengua catalana, segona edició, Institut d’Estudis Catalans.
• “govern” in Diccionari normatiu valencià, Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua.
• “govern” in Diccionari català-valencià-balear, Antoni Maria Alcover and Francesc de Borja Moll, 1962.

English

Etymology

From Middle English contreve (“to invent”), from Old French controver (Modern French controuver), from trover (“to find”) (French trouver).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /k?n?t?a?v/
• Rhymes: -a?v

Verb

contrive (third-person singular simple present contrives, present participle contriving, simple past and past participle contrived)

1. To invent by an exercise of ingenuity; to devise

   Synonyms: plan, scheme, plot, hatch

   • 1813, Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice, Modern Library Edition (1995), page 154

     […] I cannot bear the idea of two young women traveling post by themselves. It is highly improper. You must contrive to send somebody.

2. To invent, to make devices; to form designs especially by improvisation.
3. To project, cast, or set forth, as in a projection of light.
4. (obsolete, transitive) To spend (time, or a period).

Synonyms

• becast
• cast about

Derived terms

• contrived
• contriver
• contrivance

Translations

Anagrams

• renovict