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[Fr. gouverneur; Sp. gobernador: Port. govern a dor; Ital. govern a tore, from Lat. gubernator, from guberno =to steer.] I. Ordinary Language: *1. A steersman; a pilot. 2. One who is invested with supreme power or authority to administer or enforce the laws in a state. 3. One who rules with delegated power. 4. One who has the supreme direction or regulation. 5. Anything which has the power or quality of ruling, directing, or regulating. "The Deity, or that perfect mind which is the supreme governor of all things."-Cudworth: Intellectual System, P. 110. 6. A tutor; a guardian; one who has charge of the education of a young man. "The heir under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father."- Galatians iv. 1, 2. 7. A person, or one of a number of persons, to whom are intrusted the direction and management of a busine , an institution, . 8. An elderly person; a father. ( Slang .) II. Technically : 1. Gas : A device which regulates the pa age of gas from the holder to the mains, admitting it thereto in quantities determined by the rate at which it is used. The pre ure in the mains determines the area of the opening through which the gas enters. [GAS-GOVERNOR.] 2. Steam-eng.: A device which regulates the admi ion of steam to the engine according to the rate of motion. The intention is to maintain uniform velocity, and any acceleration of speed above a given rate causes a valve to be partially closed, gowlee diminishing the area of steam pa age; contrariwise in case of flagging in the speed of motion of the engine. The favorite form of governor has a pair of balls suspended from a vertical shaft, so as to swing outward when the shaft is rotated. The greater the speed the greater the centrifugal force, and consequently the farther the balls depart from the axis of rotation; the inclination of the ball arms is made effective in working the valve. governor cut-off, s. Steam- eng .: An automatic arrangement in which the acceleration or retardation of the motion of the governor, due to changes of speed of the engine, is made to cut off the steam at an earlier or later period of the stroke of the piston, so that with the increased boiler-pre ure or lighter work the steam shall be cut off earlier in the stroke, and when greater work is imposed on the engine, or the steam pre ure flags, the steam-cylinder shall receive steam from the boiler during a larger proportion of the stroke of the piston. governor-general, s . A governor who has under him subordinate or deputy governors; a viceroy; as, the governor - general of India. IMG:content-0660.png:[blocks in formation] gów, s. [GULL.] 1. A gull. 2. A fool; a stupid fellow. " Gow , a name for a fool. What a difference there is between John Gerrond the gow, and George Wishart the sage. Gall: Encycl., p. 224. gow-an, s. [Gael. & Ir. gugan =a bud, a flower.] A daisy; a perennial plant or flower. "And now he's had his bit sleep out, and is as fresh as a May gowan , to answer what your honor likes to speir." Scott: Guy Manner ing, ch. xxxiii. (1) Ewe - gowan : IMG:content-0661.png:[blocks in formation] (4) Lucken - gowan : Bot.: The Globe-flower. (5) Witch - gowan : (See extract.) "Witch-gowan flowers are large yellow gowans, with a stalk filled with pernicious sap, resembling milk, which when anointed on the eyes is believed to cause instant blindne . This pernicious juice is called by the peasantry witches' milk."-Remains Nithsdale Song , p. 110. gow-aned, a . [Eng.gowan;-ed.] Covered with the mountain daisy. "On yon gowaned lawn she was seen." Tarras: Poems, p. 80.