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In ancient Greece, the governor or perfect of a province; in modern Greece, the ruler of an eparchy.

A province, prefecture, or territory, under the jurisdiction of an eparch or governor; esp., in modern Greece, one of the larger subdivisions of a monarchy or province of the kingdom; in Russia, a diocese or archdiocese.

Government of the church by bishops; church government by three distinct orders of ministers -- bishops, priests, and deacons -- of whom the bishops have an authority superior and of a different kind.

Governed by bishops; as, an episcopal church.

Pertaining to bishops, or government by bishops; episcopal; specifically, of or relating to the Protestant Episcopal Church.

That which is established; as: (a) A form of government, civil or ecclesiastical; especially, a system of religion maintained by the civil power; as, the Episcopal establishment of England. (b) A permanent civil, military, or commercial, force or organization. (c) The place in which one is permanently fixed for residen…

the nobility, and the commonalty of England) or their representatives who administer the government; as, the estates of the realm (England), which are (1) the lords spiritual, (2) the lords temporal, (3) the commons.

The governor of a province or people. Lew Wallace.

Equal law, or a well-adjusted constitution of government. [R.] Mitford.

or Queen's evidence, evidence for the crown. [Eng.] -- State's evidence, evidence for the government or the people. [U. S. ] -- To turn King's, Queen's or State's evidence, to confess a crime and give evidence against one's accomplices.

formerly held the office, or is out of the office or condition now; as, ex-president, ex-governor, ex-mayor, ex-convict. The Greek form 'ex becomes ex in English, as in exarch; 'ek becomes ec, as in eccentric.

rtain high dignitaries, esp. to viceroys, ministers, and ambassadors, to English colonial governors, etc. It was formerly sometimes given to kings and princes.

y authority of Parliament; a species of paper currency emitted under the authority of the government, and bearing interest.

An impersonal title of the chief magistrate or officer who administers the government, whether king, president, or governor; the governing person or body.

nistration, or putting the laws in force; executive. The official and executory duties of government. Burke.

A written official recognition of a consul or commercial agent, issued by the government to which he is accredited, and authorizing him to exercise his powers in the place to which he is assigned.

. Governed by expediency; seeking advantage; as an expediential policy. "Calculating, expediential understanding." Hare. -- Ex*pe`di*en"tial*ly , adv.

itted. Ex post facto laws are held to be contrary to the fundamental principles of a free government, and the States are prohibited from passing such laws by the Constitution of the United States. Burrill. Kent.

To deliver up by one government to another, as a fugitive from justice. See Extradition.

constructing; construction; manufacture; as, the fabrication of a bridge, a church, or a government. Burke.