governor

governor
  (ˈgʌvənə(r))
  Forms: 4–9 governour, 4–6 governo(u)re, 5–6 -owre, (4 -ur, 6 -er), 4– governor.
  [ad. OF. governeür (F. gouverneur) = Sp. gobernador, It. governatore:—L. gubernātōr-em, f. gubernāre to govern.]
  † 1. A steersman, pilot, captain of a vessel. Obs.

c 1330 R. Brunne Chron. (1810) 153 Of Helianore schip he was hir gouernour. 1382 Wyclif Acts xxvii. 11 Sothli centurioun bileuede more to the gouernour, and to the lord of the schipp, than to..Paul. c 1430 Pilgr. Lyf Manhode ii. xc. (1869) 108, I am þilke þat maketh þe gouernour slepe amiddes þe ship..whan he hath lost oþer broken the steerne. 1475 Bk. Noblesse 58 Some goithe to set up the saile and take it downe as the governoure the maister avisithe hem. c 1530 L. Cox Rhet. E vij b, Of the whiche vessell the one man was both owner and gouernour. 1611 Bible Jas. iii. 4 Yet are they [ships] turned about with a very small helme, whithersoeuer the gouernour listeth.

  2. a. One who governs, or exercises authoritative control over, subjects or inferiors; a ruler.
  governor of the feast: used in the Bible of 1611 as transl. of Gr. ἀρχιτρίκλινος (John ii. 8, 9).

13.. K. Alis. 1714 Darie, the kyng of alle kynges..Governor of lewed and lerid. c 1386 Chaucer Knt.'s T. 3 Of Atthenes he was lord and gouernour. a 1400–50 Alexander 1936 (Dubl.) Sir Dary..Gouernour of ilke grome . & god all þi-seluen. c 1400 Ywaine & Gaw. 1222 Wemen..most nedes have a governowre. c 1430 Syr Tryam. 849 Than hath that lady gente Chosyn hym with comyns assente, To be hur governowre. 1460 Lybeaus Disc. 1525 Ho ys yowre governowre? They seyde, Kyng Artour. 1531 Elyot Gov. i. iii, There can be no perfect publike weale without one capital and soueraigne gouernour. 1548–9 (Mar.) Bk. Com. Prayer, Litany, Edward the Sixt, thy seruaunt our kyng and gouernour. 1596 Shakes. Merch. V. iii. ii. 167 Her gentle spirit Commits it selfe to yours to be directed, As from her Lord, her Gouernour, her King. 1651 Hobbes Leviath. ii. xviii. 94 The greatest pressure of Soveraign Governours, proceeded not from [etc.]. 1695 Ld. Preston Boeth. iv. 186 When the Happiness of the Governours is in some measure diffused. 1775 Johnson Tax. no Tyr. 17 Without the consent of their countrymen or governours. 1802 Wordsw. Sonn., ‘I grieved for Buonaparte’, 'Tis not in battles that from youth we train The Governor who must be wise and good. 1847 Emerson Repr. Men, Napoleon Wks. (Bohn) I. 370 History is full, down to this day, of the imbecility of kings and governors. 1867 Gd. Words 1 Feb. 132/2 The parent is made known to the child, not merely as a benefactor, but as a moral governor.

  b. Said of the Deity, or of the persons in the Trinity; also of a heathen divinity.

a 1300 Cursor M. 18366 Lauerd and godd he sal be ur, And euer mar vr gouernur. 13.. E.E. Allit. P. C. 199 Hatz þou, gome, no gouernour ne god on to calle. c 1440 York Myst. xlvii. 33 Jesu Criste, our gouernoure. 1552 Abp. Hamilton Catech. (1884) 3 The haly spreit quhilk is ane daily techeour and governour of the hail universal kirk. 1678 Cudworth Intell. Syst. i. iii. 110 The Deity, or that perfect Mind, which is the supreme Governour of all things. 1710 Prideaux Orig. Tithes i. 18 Being given to them by God not as General Governor of the World..but [etc.]. 1817 A. Bonar Serm. II. x. 218 The infinitely wise moral Governor of the world.

  c. Said of things more or less personified.

c 1385 Chaucer L.G.W. Prol. 170 Welcome Sommer, oure governour and lorde. 1398 Trevisa Barth. De P.R. v. ii. (1495) 102 The heede is gouernoure and ruler of all the body. 1513 Bradshaw St. Werburge i. 3084 The day was gouernour over the nyght. 1526 Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 18 b, Whiche grace, vnder god, is the chefe gouernour of mannes soule. 1726 Butler Serm. Rolls ii. 42 This Faculty was placed within to be our proper Governour.

  3. a. An official appointed to govern a province, country, town, etc. Now used as the official title of the representative of the Crown in a British colony or dependency; also of the executive head of each of the United States.

1390 Gower Conf. III. 178 When he made a governour..Of province or of region. 1535 Coverdale 2 Kings xxv. 23 The kynge of Babilon had made Godolias gouernoure. 1579 Lyly Euphues (Arb.) 51 Don Ferardo one of the chiefe gouernours of the citie. 1673 Ray Journ. Low C. 9 Brussels..where the Spanish Governour of these Provinces..usually resides. 1683 Col. Rec. Pennsylv. I. 57 Wm. Penn, proprietery and Governer of Pensilvania. 1742 Hume Ess., Taxes (1777) I. 368 The emperor..must allow all the bashaws and governors to oppress and abuse the subjects. a 1832 Mackintosh Review Milton's Nephews Wks. 1846 II. 505 While the grandson of Milton resided at Madras..it is somewhat remarkable that the elder brother of Addison should have been the Governor of that settlement. 1840 Thirlwall Greece VII. 5 Here [at Alexandria] he found reason to remove the governor whom he had left there.

  b. The officer in command of a fortress or garrison.

1647 Clarendon Hist. Reb. iv. §207 Sending an order to the governor of Portsmouth that nobody should be admitted into that town and fort. 1663 Flagellum, or O. Cromwell (1672) 85 Stafford the Gouernour of the Castle basely betrayed it to Cromwell. 1837 King's Regul. & Ord. Army 23 To Governors, who have not Commissions as General Officers, all Guards within their Garrisons are to turn out with presented Arms, and beat one Ruffle. 1898 Forsyth in Expositor Oct. 268 The governor of a besieged town.

  4. One who bears rule in an establishment, institution, society, etc. Now chiefly as an official title, sometimes applied only to the head of an institution (e.g. in the Bank of England, where the ‘Governor’ is chosen from a body of ‘Directors’), sometimes to each member of a governing body, as often in the case of charitable institutions. spec. One who is in charge of a prison.

c 1386 Chaucer Monk's Prol. 52 Thou art..a gouernour, wyly and wys. 1427 in Heath Grocer's Comp. (1829) 4 John de Wellys, Alderman and gouernour. 1535 Coverdale Isa. xxii. 15 Go in to the treasury vnto Sobna the gouernoure, and saye [etc.]. c 1566 J. Alday tr. Boaystuau's Theat. World H viij b, The rector or governor of one onlye Churche or congregation. 1577 Hanmer Anc. Eccl. Hist. (1619) 493 Governer of the Monastery in Constantinople. 1607 in Hist. Wakefield Gram. Sch. (1892) 68 The usher being convented by the Governours and admonished. 1697 W. Dampier Voy. (1702) I. 525 Withal I think it worth the care of the Owners or Governours of the Factory..to lay Pipes to convey the Fountain Water to the Shore. 1721 Strype Eccl. Mem. II. ii. xiv. 362 The Governour of the Hospital of Christ's-Church in London. 1807 Southey Lett. fr. Eng. II. xxxix. 162 Of late years the office of jailor has become of considerable importance, and ennobled by the title of Governor. 1864 C. M. Yonge Trial II. vii. 137 Mr. Ernescliffe sent in his card at the governor's house... They were told that the prisoner they wished to see was at work. 1884 J. Payn Some Lit. Recoll. 42 It came under the notice of the Governor of Woolwich Academy. 1897 O. Wilde Let. 1 Apr. (1962) 514 Of the many, many things for which I have to thank the Governor there is none for which I am more grateful than for his permission to write fully to A[lfred] D[ouglas]. 1911 Encycl. Brit. XXII. 366/1 The convict..exercises and goes to chapel..in the society of others, but holds no communication with them; his only intercourse with his fellow-creatures is when he is visited by the governor, chaplain, schoolmaster or trade instructor. 1965 T. Parker Plough Boy iii. i. 196 Then the governor come in..rabbiting..about ‘respite’ or ‘reprieve’ or something like that.

  † 5. The commander of a company, esp. an armed force, naval or military. Obs.

13.. Gaw. & Gr. Knt. 225 ‘Wher is,’ he sayd, ‘Þe gouernour of þis gyng?’ c 1385 Chaucer L.G.W. 1060 Dido, His Meinie That hadde founde here lord here gouernour. c 1400 Destr. Troy 4819 Agamynon, the gouernour. c 1450 Holland Howlat xxvi, Goiss Halkis war governouris of the gret oist. 1553 Eden Treat. Newe Ind. (Arb.) 34 They elected a new gouernoure of theyr nauie. 1604 Shakes. Oth. ii. i. 55 My hopes do shape him for the Gouernor. a 1625 Fletcher Love's Pilgr. iv. i. (1647) 18/2 Rod. within. Ho, Governor [ed. 2 gunner] make a shot into the Town, a shot.

  † 6. One who has charge of a young man's education and occupations; a tutor, esp. of a prince or young noble. Obs.

1577 Rhodes Bk. Nurture in Babees Bk. 63 And thus by the Chylde yee shall perceiue the disposytion of the Gouernour. 1591 Shakes. 1 Hen. VI, i. i. 171 To Eltam will I, where the young King is, Being ordayn'd his speciall Gouernor. 1638 Sir H. Wotton in Four C. Eng. Lett. 53 Attending the young Lord S. as his governor. 1654 Nicholas Papers (Camden) II. 146, I will..recommend unto his Majesty care the placing some such Governor over the Duke of Gloucester as may understand the moralls of a Prince; and I pray beleeve it is 3 weekes very strict observance that makes me see the difference betwixt a schoole⁓master and a Governor. 1692 Locke Educ. §94 The great Work of a Governour is to fashion the Carriage and form the Mind. 1752 Chesterfield Lett. (1792) III. cclxxix. 279 Others..are sent abroad in servitude to some aukward pedantic Scotch governor. 1788 New Lond. Mag. 153 Mr. Hobbs..travelled with him as his governor into France.

  7. colloq. or slang. a. An employer (cf. sense 4). b. Applied by young men to their fathers. c. Used as a vulgar form of address to a man.

a. 1802 K. White Rem. I. 83, I have made such a proficiency in the law, as has ensured me the regard of my governors. 1838 Dickens O. Twist xxxi, Tell your governor that Blathers..is here.

b. 1827 Sporting Mag. XX. 70, I was accompanied on this occasion by my Governor. 1847 Hare Vict. Faith 107, I allude to the habit which sons have in speaking of their father,..to call him governor, as the vulgar phrase is. 1853 ‘C. Bede’ Verdant Green i. x, I suppose the bills will come in some day or other, but the governor will see to them. 1888 E. J. Goodman Too Curious vi, I will not fail to let you know..how the governor is going on.

c. 1844 Dickens Mart. Chuz. xxiii. 284 ‘My youngest died last week.’ ‘I'm sorry for it, governor, with all my heart,’ said Mark. 1852 Punch 2 Oct. 152/1 (caption) I say, Guvner, give us a hist with this 'ere bilin' o' greens! 1866 Night in Workh. 37 ‘Is this anything like wot you've lost, guv'ner?’

  8. Machinery. A self-acting contrivance for regulating the passage of gas, steam, water, etc., esp. the supply of any one of these to a machine, in order to ensure an even and regular motion.

1819 Rees Cycl. XXIII. s.v. Mill-work, These regulators [in a mill] are usually termed governors. 1825 J. Nicholson Operat. Mechanic 38 Governors or flying-balls are very frequently used in the wind-mills employed for grinding flour. 1832 Babbage Econ. Manuf. iii. (ed. 3) 27 That beautiful contrivance, the governor of the steam-engine. 1849–50 Weale Dict. Arch., etc. s.v., The governor is a machine for regulating and equalizing the flow of gas from the gasometers to the street-mains. 1864 G. Buchanan & Co.'s Descr. List Machinery i. 53 The addition of a governor or regulator for adjusting the supply of water to the wheel. 1879 Dickens' Dict. London, s.v. Gas, The pressure of gas to a house is..regulated by a wet governor. 1918 E. M. Roberts Flying Fighter 63 By means of a governor, the speed of the lorries was being limited to fifteen miles an hour. But we discovered that if the ball in the governor was held up we could get as much as twenty-five miles out of the motor. 1940 ‘Gun Buster’ Return via Dunkirk i. iv. 40 They do forty miles per hour, and can do eighty if you take the governor off. 1961 Lancet 2 Sept. 549/2 We might consider obliging the police to seal a governor set at 50 m.p.h. into the carburation of everything on wheels.

  9. A particular fly used in angling.

1856 Kingsley Let. May in A. Locke (1876) p. lvii, Fished all the morning... Killed eight on ‘March brown’ and ‘governor’, by drowning the flies. 1867 F. Francis Angling vi. (1880) 243 The Governor..is a very useful fly on many waters. 1884 St. James's Gaz. 21 June 6/2 The artificial fly known as the ‘governour’, which is intended for an imitation of the ground bee.

  10. attrib. and Comb. (chiefly sense 8), as governor-apparatus, governor-burner, governor-house, governor-reed, governor-valve; also governor-block, one of a pair of cast-iron blocks pivoted to the axle-clamp in the railway automatic compression-brake (Cent. Dict.).

1865 Morning Star 3 Nov., The servants..were employed putting up ‘*governor’ apparatus on the pipes attached to the gasometer.

1891 Anthony's Photogr. Bull. IV. 346 A Peebles' *governor burner..forms an excellent arrangement. 1895 Daily News 14 Oct. 7/7 The saving effected by needle governor burners..will soon pay for their cost.

1895 Daily News 17 Dec. 3/5 A fire..occurred in the *governor house of Worthing Gasworks.

1892 Pall Mall G. 27 Apr. 7/2 Regulated by a simple screw contrivance to vibrate at the exact rate of the distant transmitter or *governor reed.

1875 Knight Dict. Mech., *Governor-valve, a valve in a steam-pipe operated by the governor to vary the area of steam.

Oxford English Dictionary