1. The regulation, restraint, supervision, or control which is exercised upon the individual members of an organized jural society by those investedwith the supreme political authority, for the good and welfare of the body politic ; or the act of exercising supreme political power or control.2. The system of polity in a state; that form of fundamental rules and principles bywhich a nation or state is governed, or by which individual members of a body politicare to regulate their social actions; a constitution , either written or unwritten, by whichthe rights and duties of citizens and public officers are prescribed and defined, as amonarchical government, a republican government , etc. Webster.3. An empire, kingdom, state or independent political community; as in the phrase,”Compacts between independent governments.”4. The sovereign or supreme power in a state or nation.5. The machinery by which the sovereign power in a state expresses its will andexercises its functions; or the framework of political institutions, departments, andoffices, by means of which the executive, judicial, legislative , and administrativebusiness of the state Is carried on.6. The whole class or body of office-holders or functionaries considered in theaggregate, upon whom devolves the executive, judicial, legislative, and administrativebusiness of the state.7. In a colloquial sense, the United States or its representatives, considered as theprosecutor in a criminal action ; as in the phrase, “the government objects to the witness.”
Black’s Law Online Dictionary
