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A member of an oligarchy; one of the rulers in an oligarchical government.

Of or pertaining to oligarchy, or government by a few. "Oligarchical exiles." Jowett (Thucyd. ).

A form of government in which the supreme power is placed in the hands of a few persons; also, those who form the ruling few. All oligarchies, wherein a few men domineer, do what they list. Burton.

The aggregate value of the different stocks in which a loan to government is now usually funded. M'Culloch.

Government by the nobility. [R.] Howell.

rescript, or accepted usage; an edict or decree; esp., a local law enacted by a municipal government; as, a municipal ordinance. Thou wilt die by God's just ordinance. Shak. By custom and the ordinance of times. Shak. Walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. Luke i. 6.

ant end accomplished; as, legislatures, courts, armies, taxgatherers, etc., are organs of government.

system of organs; inherent in, or resulting from, a certain organization; as, an organic government; his love of truth was not inculcated, but organic.

rganization of an army, or of a deliberative body. "The first organization of the general government." Pickering.

oducts of the human intellect, or to human institutions and undertakings, as a science, a government, an army, a war, etc. This original and supreme will organizes the government. Cranch.

hings required for equipment; the expense of, or allowance made for, equipment, as by the government of the United States to a diplomatic agent going abroad.

Above in authority or station; -- implying government, direction, care, attention, guard, responsibility, etc.; -- opposed to Ant: under. Thou shalt be over my house. Gen. xli. 40. I will make thee rules over many things. Matt. xxv. 23. Dost thou not watch over my sin Job xiv. 16. His tender mercies are over all his wo…

of notes or bonds, exceeding the limit of capital, credit, or authority. An overissue of government paper. Brougham.

To cause to fall, or to tail; to subvert; to overthrow; as, to overset a government or a plot. Addison.

Originally, a vessel employed by government to convey dispatches or mails; hence, a vessel employed in conveying dispatches, mails, passengers, and goods, and having fixed days of sailing; a mail boat. Packet boat, ship, or vessel. See Packet, n., 2. -- Packet day, the day for mailing letters to go by packet; or the s…

Government by a pope; papal rule.

Two or more metals coined without any attempt by the government to regulate their values.

the white of an egg. Arbuthnot. The parcels of the nation adopted different forms of self-government. J. A. Symonds.

To avoid; to shift or put off; to evade. The French government has parried the payment of our claims. E. Everett.

a sentence, pointing out the several parts of speech, and their relation to each other by government or agreement; to analyze and describe grammatically. Let him construe the letter into English, and parse it over perfectly. Ascham.