Abbreviation for government; the system or organization by which a state or community is governed.
Abbreviation of 'government,' from Old French 'governement,' from 'governer' (to govern) from Latin 'gubernare' (to steer a ship). The nautical metaphor of steering society like a ship captain guides a vessel.
The ship-steering origin explains why we talk about 'affairs of state' and 'navigating policy'! Government terminology is filled with nautical metaphors because ancient Greeks and Romans saw ruling as similar to captaining a ship through dangerous waters.
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