government

noun | \ ˈgə-vər-mənt, -vərn- \ | gov·ern·ment

1. : the act or process of governing; specifically : authoritative direction or control : authoritative direction or control

2. : the office, authority, or function of governing

3. : the continuous exercise of authority over and the performance of functions for a political unit : rule

4. a : the organization, machinery, or agency through which a political unit exercises authority and performs functions and which is usually classified according to the distribution of power within it

   b : the executive branch of the U.S. federal government

   a : the officials comprising the governing body of a political unit and constituting the organization as an active agency

   b : the executive branch of the U.S. federal government

   c : the prosecution in a criminal case in its capacity as agents of the political unit the government failed to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt