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order

Pronunciation: /ˈɔːdə/
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Definition of order

noun

  • 1 [mass noun] the arrangement or disposition of people or things in relation to each other according to a particular sequence, pattern, or method:I filed the cards in alphabetical order
  • a state in which everything is in its correct or appropriate place:she tried to put her shattered thoughts into some semblance of order
  • a state in which the laws and rules regulating public behaviour are observed and authority is obeyed:the army was deployed to keep order
  • the prescribed or established procedure followed by a meeting, legislative assembly, debate, or court of law:the meeting was called to order
  • a stated form of liturgical service, or of administration of a rite, prescribed by ecclesiastical authority.
  • 2an authoritative command or instruction:he was not going to take orders from a mere administrator [with infinitive]:the skipper gave the order to abandon ship
  • a verbal or written request for something to be made, supplied, or served:the firm has won an order for six tankers
  • a thing made, supplied, or served as a result of an order:he would deliver special orders for the Sunday dinner
  • a written direction of a court or judge:she was admitted to hospital under a guardianship order
  • a written direction to pay money or deliver property.
  • 3a particular social, political, or economic system:they were dedicated to overthrowing the established order
  • (often orders) a social class:the upper social orders
  • a rank in the Christian ministry, especially that of bishop, priest, or deacon.
  • (orders) the rank of a member of the clergy or an ordained minister of the Church:he took priest’s ordersSee also holy orders.
  • Theology any of the nine grades of angelic beings in the celestial hierarchy as formulated by Pseudo-Dionysius.
  • 4 (also Order) a society of monks, nuns, or friars living under the same religious, moral, and social regulations and discipline:the Franciscan Order
  • historical a society of knights bound by a common rule of life and having a combined military and monastic character: the Templars were also known as the Order of Christ
  • an institution founded by a monarch along the lines of a medieval crusading monastic order for the purpose of honouring meritorious conduct.
  • the insignia worn by members of an order of honour or merit.
  • a Masonic or similar fraternity.
  • 5 [in singular] the quality or nature of something:poetry of the highest order
  • [with adjective] the overall state or condition of something:the house had only just been vacated and was in good order
  • 6 Biology a principal taxonomic category that ranks below class and above family: the higher orders of insects
  • 7any of the five classical styles of architecture (Doric, Ionic, Corinthian, Tuscan, and Composite) based on the proportions of columns and the style of their decoration.
  • any style of architecture subject to uniform established proportions.
  • 8 [mass noun, with modifier] Military equipment or uniform for a specified purpose or of a specified type:the platoon changed from drill order into PT kit
  • (the order) the position in which a rifle is held after ordering arms. See order arms below.
  • 9 Mathematics the degree of complexity of an equation, expression, etc., as denoted by an ordinal number.
  • the number of differentiations required to reach the highest derivative in a differential equation.
  • the number of elements in a finite group.
  • the number of rows or columns in a square matrix.

verb

  • 1 [reporting verb] give an authoritative instruction to do something: [with object and infinitive]:she ordered me to leave [with direct speech]:‘Stop frowning,’ he ordered [with clause]:he ordered that the ship be abandoned [with object]:the judge ordered a retrial
  • [with object] (order someone about/around) continually tell someone to do things in an overbearing way: she resented being ordered about
  • [with object and complement] North American command (something) to be done or (someone) to be treated in a particular way:he ordered the anchor dropped
  • 2 [with object] request (something) to be made, supplied, or served:my mate ordered the tickets last week [with two objects]:I asked the security guard to order me a taxi [no object]:are you ready to order, sir?
  • 3 [with object] arrange (something) in a methodical way:all entries are ordered by date (as adjective, in combination -ordered)her normally well-ordered life

Phrases

by order

according to directions given by the proper authority: he was released from prison by order of the court

in order

  • 1according to a particular sequence: list the points you intend to cover and put them in order
  • 2in the correct condition for operation or use: it is the liquidator’s task to put the affairs of the company in order
  • 3in accordance with the rules of procedure at a meeting, legislative assembly, etc.: surely it is in order for Conservative Members to put various policy options to the Prime Minister?
  • appropriate in the circumstances:a little bit of flattery was now in order

in order for (or that)

so that:staff must be committed to the change in order for it to succeed

in order to do something

with the purpose of doing something:he slouched into his seat in order to avoid drawing attention to himself

of the order of

chiefly British
  • 1approximately:sales increases are of the order of 20%
  • 2 Mathematics having the order of magnitude specified by.

on order

(of goods) requested but not yet received from the supplier or manufacturer: the helicopters have been on order for two years

on the order of

chiefly North American
  • 1approximately.
  • 2similar to:singers on the order of Janis Joplin

Order! (or Order! Order!)

a call for silence or the observance of the prescribed procedures by someone in charge of a meeting, legislative assembly, etc..

order arms

Military hold a rifle with its butt on the ground close to one’s right side.

order of battle

the units, formations, and equipment of a military force.

the order of the day

  • 1the prevailing custom or state of affairs:on Sundays, a black suit was the order of the day confusion would seem to be the order of the day
  • 2(in a legislature) the business to be considered on a particular day.

orders are orders

commands must be obeyed, however much one may disagree with them: orders are orders and you’re only doing your duty

order to view

British an estate agent’s request to an occupier to allow inspection of their premises by a client.

out of order

  • 1(of a device) not working properly or at all: the elevator was out of order
  • 2not in the correct sequence: he recorded the seven pieces out of order
  • 3not according to the rules of a meeting, legislative assembly, etc.: he ruled the objection out of order
  • British informal (of a person or their behaviour) unacceptable or wrong:Chris was well out of order

to order

according to a customer’s particular requirements:the jumpers are knitted to order

Origin:

Middle English: from Old French ordre, from Latin ordo, ordin- 'row, series, rank'

order in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of order in the US English dictionary

Nearby words

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