1. (n.) Supreme power; sovereignty; sway; dominion.

2. (n.) The dominion of an emperor; the territory or countries under the jurisdiction and dominion of an emperor (rarely of a king), usually of greater extent than a kingdom, always comprising a variety in the nationality of, or the forms of administration in, constituent and subordinate portions; as, the Austrian empire.

3. (n.) Any dominion; supreme control; governing influence; rule; sway; as, the empire of mind or of reason.

administration ally archduchy archdukedom authority body politic buffer state caliphate captive nation chieftaincy chieftainry city-state civil government claws clutches colony command commonweal commonwealth control country county czardom direction discipline dispensation disposition domain dominion duchy dukedom earldom emperorship empery form of government free city governance government grand duchy grip hand hands imperialism iron hand jurisdiction kaiserdom kinghood kingship land majesty management mandant mandate mandated territory mandatee mandatory nation nationality oversight polis political organization polity possession power principality principate protectorate province puppet government puppet regime queenhood queenship raj rajaship realm regime regimen regnancy regulation reign republic royalty rule satellite seneschalty settlement sovereign nation sovereignty state sultanate sultanship superpower supervision sway system of government talons territory the crown the throne toparchia toparchy