govern

/ˈgʌvən/ verb

Definition

OFFICIAL CONTROL [I, T] › to officially control a country: The country is now governed by the Labour Party. a governing body

INFLUENCE [T] › to influence or control the way something happens or is done: There are rules that govern how teachers treat children.

(Definition of govern verb from the Cambridge Learner's Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)

to do something that spoils someone's plans

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