2 N‑UNCOUNT Government consists of the activities, methods, and principles involved in governing a country or other political unit. □ The first four years of government were completely disastrous. □ …our system of government.
gov|ern|men|tal /gʌ və r nme nt ə l/ ADJ [ADJ n] Governmental means relating to a particular government, or to the practice of governing a country. □ …a governmental agency for providing financial aid to developing countries.
gov|er|nor ◆◆◇ /gʌ və r nə r / (governors )
1 N‑COUNT ; N‑TITLE In some systems of government, a governor is a person who is in charge of the political administration of a region or state. □ [+ of ] He was governor of the province in the late 1970s. □ The governor addressed the New Jersey Assembly.
2 N‑COUNT A governor is a member of a committee which controls an organization such as a school or a hospital. □ Governors are using the increased powers given to them to act against incompetent headteachers. □ …the chairman of the BBC board of governors.
3 N‑COUNT In some British institutions, the governor is the most senior official, who is in charge of the institution. □ The incident was reported to the prison governor.
Go vernor-Ge neral (Governors-General ) N‑COUNT A Governor-General is a person who is sent to a former British colony as the chief representative of Britain. [BRIT ] □ …the former Governor-General of New Zealand.
gov|er|nor|ship /gʌ vnə r ʃ I p/ (governorships ) N‑COUNT The governorship of a particular country or state is the position of being its governor. Governorship is also used to refer to the period of time a particular person spends being the governor of a country or state. □ The governorship went to a Democrat.
govt govt is a written abbreviation for government .
gown /gaʊ n/ (gowns )
1 N‑COUNT A gown is a dress, usually a long dress, which women wear on formal occasions. □ The new ball gown was a great success. □ …wedding gowns.
2 N‑COUNT A gown is a loose black garment worn on formal occasions by people such as lawyers and academics. □ …an old headmaster in a flowing black gown.
GP ◆◇◇ /dʒiː piː / (GPs ) N‑COUNT [oft poss N ] A GP is a doctor who does not specialize in any particular area of medicine, but who has a medical practice in which he or she treats all types of illness. GP is an abbreviation for 'general practitioner'. □ Her husband called their local GP.
GPS /dʒiː piː e s/ (GPSs ) N‑COUNT GPS is an abbreviation for global positioning system . □ GPS operates best near the equator. □ …a GPS receiver.
grab ◆◇◇ /græ b/ (grabs , grabbing , grabbed )
1 VERB If you grab something, you take it or pick it up suddenly and roughly. □ [V n] I managed to grab her hand. □ [V n + by/round ] I grabbed him by the neck.
2 VERB If you grab at something, you try to grab it. □ [V + at ] He was clumsily trying to grab at Alfred's arms. ● N‑COUNT [usu sing] Grab is also a noun. □ [+ for ] I made a grab for the knife. □ [+ at ] Mr Penrose made a grab at his collar.
3 VERB If you grab someone who is walking past, you succeed in getting their attention. [INFORMAL ] □ [V n] Grab that waiter, Mary Ann.
4 VERB If you grab someone's attention, you do something in order to make them notice you. □ [V n] I jumped on the wall to grab the attention of the crowd.
5 VERB If you grab something such as food, drink, or sleep, you manage to get some quickly. [INFORMAL ] □ [V n] At night the kids grabbed a pizza from Frankie's.
6 VERB If you grab something such as a chance or opportunity, or grab at it, you take advantage of it eagerly. □ [V n] She grabbed the chance of a job interview. □ [V + at ] He grabbed at the opportunity to buy his castle.
7 N‑COUNT [usu sing] A grab for something such as power or fame is an attempt to gain it. □ [+ for ] …a grab for personal power.
8 → see also smash-and-grab
9 to grab hold of → see hold ➊
10 PHRASE If something is up for grabs , it is available to anyone who is interested. [INFORMAL ] □ The famous hotel is up for grabs for £100m.
gra b bag (grab bags )
1 N‑COUNT A grab bag is a game in which you take a prize out of a container full of hidden prizes. [AM ] in BRIT, use lucky dip 2 N‑COUNT A grab bag of things, ideas, or people is a varied group of them. □ [+ of ] …a fascinating grab bag of documents about the life of Liszt.
grace /gre I s/ (graces , gracing , graced )
1 N‑UNCOUNT If someone moves with grace , they move in a smooth, controlled, and attractive way. □ He moved with the grace of a trained boxer.
2 N‑UNCOUNT If someone behaves with grace , they behave in a pleasant, polite, and dignified way, even when they are upset or being treated unfairly. □ The new King seemed to be carrying out his duties with grace and due decorum.
3 N‑PLURAL [oft adj N ] The graces are the ways of behaving and doing things which are considered polite and well-mannered. □ She didn't fit in and she had few social graces.