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Govern vs Wield - What's the difference?

govern | wield | Related terms |

Govern is a related term of wield.


As verbs the difference between govern and wield

is that govern is to make and administer the public policy and affairs of; to exercise sovereign authority in while wield is (label) to command, rule over; to possess or own.

govern

English

Verb

(en verb)
  • To make and administer the public policy and affairs of; to exercise sovereign authority in.
  • To control the actions or behavior of; to keep under control; to restrain.
  • Govern yourselves like civilized people.
    a student who could not govern his impulses.
  • To exercise a deciding or determining influence on.
  • Chance usually governs the outcome of the game.
  • To control the speed, flow etc. of; to regulate.
  • a valve that governs fuel intake.
  • To exercise political authority; to run a government.
  • To have or exercise a determining influence.
  • To require that a certain preposition, grammatical case, etc. be used with a word; sometimes used synonymously with collocate.
  • wield

    English

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • (label) To command, rule over; to possess or own.
  • *, Bk.V, Ch.7:
  • *:There was never kyng sauff myselff that welded evir such knyghtes.
  • (label) To control, to guide or manage.
  • *1596 , (Edmund Spenser), The Faerie Queene , V.10:
  • *:With such his chearefull speaches he doth wield / Her mind so well, that to his will she bends.
  • To handle with skill and ease, especially of a weapon or tool.
  • To exercise (authority or influence) effectively.