ruling; governing; regnant.-exercising vicarious authority.-one who rules or reigns; a governor; a ruler.-especially, one invested with vicarious authority; one who governs a kingdom in the minority, absence, or disability of the sovereign.-one of a governing board; a trustee or overseer; a superintendent; a curator; as, the regents of the smithsonian institution.-a resident master of arts of less than five years' standing, or a doctor of less than twwo. they were formerly privileged to lecture in the schools.