All 5 Uses

sovereign
in
Middlemarch
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The remote worship of a woman throned out of their reach plays a great part in men's lives, but in most cases the worshipper longs for some queenly recognition, some approving sign by which his soul's sovereign may cheer him without descending from her high place.†
Chpt 2 *
"Come, Josh," he said, in a cajoling tone, "give us a spoonful of brandy, and a sovereign to pay the way back, and I'll go.†
Chpt 4
But the brandy and the sovereign's a bargain.†
Chpt 4
By that time Rigg came forward with a brandy-bottle, filled the flask, and handed Raffles a sovereign, neither looking at him nor speaking to him.†
Chpt 4

Uses with a meaning too rare to warrant foucs:

Well, when sovereigns were flying about, why shouldn't he catch a few?†
Chpt 7 *

Definitions:

(1) (sovereign)
a supreme ruler; or describing a political body as self-governing
(2) (meaning too rare to warrant focus)
a British coin used until 1914; an adjective describing something as powerfully effective