command

¹com·mand

verb \kə-ˈmand\

Definition of COMMAND

transitive verb

1

: to direct authoritatively : order

2

: to exercise a dominating influence over : have command of: as

a : to have at one's immediate disposal <commands many resources>

b : to demand or receive as one's due <commands a high fee>

c : to overlook or dominate from or as if from a strategic position <a hill that commands the city>

d : to have military command of as senior officer <command a regiment>

3

obsolete : to order or request to be given

intransitive verb

1

: to have or exercise direct authority : govern

2

: to give orders

3

: to be commander

4

: to dominate as if from an elevated place

— com·mand·able \-ˈman-də-bəl\ adjective

Examples of COMMAND

1. She commanded us to leave.
2. Military leaders commanded the troops to open fire.
3. She commanded that work on the bridge cease immediately.
4. We had no choice but to do as they commanded.
5. He commands a platoon of 60.
6. With his skills and experience, he can command a high salary.
7. The company commands much power and influence in the business world.

Origin of COMMAND

Middle English comanden, from Anglo-French cumander, from Vulgar Latin *commandare, alteration of Latin commendare to commit to one's charge — more at commend

First Known Use: 14th century

Related to COMMAND

Synonyms

adjure, bid, boss (around), charge, direct, enjoin, instruct, order, tell

Antonyms

mind, obey

Related Words

ask, petition, request; beg, beseech, entreat; advise, counsel, warn; appoint, assign, authorize, commission; oversee, superintend, supervise; conduct, control, lead, manage; coerce, compel, constrain, force, oblige, require

Near Antonyms

comply (with), follow, keep, observe

Synonym Discussion of COMMAND

command, order, bid, enjoin, direct, instruct, charge mean to issue orders. command and order imply authority and usually some degree of formality and impersonality. command stresses official exercise of authority <a general commanding troops>. order may suggest peremptory or arbitrary exercise <ordered his employees about like slaves>. bid suggests giving orders peremptorily (as to children or servants) <she bade him be seated>. enjoin implies giving an order or direction authoritatively and urgently and often with admonition or solicitude <a sign enjoining patrons to be quiet>. direct and instruct both connote expectation of obedience and usually concern specific points of procedure or method, instruct sometimes implying greater explicitness or formality <directed her assistant to hold all calls> <the judge instructed the jury to ignore the remark>. charge adds to enjoin an implication of imposing as a duty or responsibility <charged by the President with a secret mission>.

Rhymes with COMMAND

armband, at hand, backhand, backland, badland, bandstand, barehand, benchland, blackland, brass band, broadband, brushland, bushland, cabstand, cloudland, coastland, co-brand, cowhand, crash-land, cropland, crown land, dead hand, deckhand, demand, disband, dockhand, dockland, downland, dreamland, dryland, duneland, expand, farmhand, farmland, fenland, field hand, filmland, firebrand, firsthand, flatland, forehand, four-hand, free hand, freehand, gangland, glad-hand, Gotland, grandstand, grassland, handstand, hardstand, hatband, headband, headstand, heartland, heathland, home stand, hour hand, Iceland, in hand, inkstand, inland, iron hand, jack stand, jug band, kickstand, Kokand, Lapland, left-hand, longhand, lymph gland, mainland, marshland, misbrand, newsstand, nightstand, northland, noseband, off-brand, offhand, oil gland, old hand, on hand, outland, outstand, parkland, passband, pineland, playland, proband, Queensland, quicksand, rangeland, remand, repand, Rhineland, ribband, right-hand, rimland, ring stand, roband, salt gland, scabland, screenland, scrubland, seastrand, shorthand, sideband, southland, spaceband, stagehand, steel band, summand, swampland, sweatband, sweat gland, tar sand, Thailand, thirdhand, tideland, trainband, unhand, unmanned, waistband, washstand, watchband, wave band, wetland, whip hand, wildland, withstand, wristband, X band

²command

noun

Definition of COMMAND

1

a : an order given

b : a signal that actuates a device (as a control mechanism in a spacecraft or one step in a computer); also : the activation of a device by means of such a signal

2

a : the ability to control : mastery

b : the authority or right to command <the officer in command>

c (1) : the power to dominate (2) : scope of vision

d : facility in use <a good command of French>

e : control 1d <a pitcher with good command of his curveball>

3

: the act of commanding

4

: the personnel, area, or organization under a commander; specifically : a unit of the United States Air Force higher than an air force

5

: a position of highest usually military authority

Examples of COMMAND

1. We are expected to obey his commands.
2. She shouted out commands to the crew.
3. We started to teach the dog simple commands like “sit” and “lie down.”
4. You can perform several actions with keyboard commands.
5. The system recognizes voice commands.
6. He was relieved of his command after being charged with misconduct.
7. Who is the officer in command of the unit?
8. I assumed command of the business after my father's death.
9. He immediately took command of the situation.
10. He finally felt in command of his life.

First Known Use of COMMAND

15th century

Related to COMMAND

Synonyms

behest, charge, commandment, decree, dictate, direction, directive, do, edict, imperative, injunction, instruction, order, word

Antonyms

impotence, impotency, powerlessness

Related Words

demand, requirement; mandate; countermand, counterorder; law, precept, prescript, prescription, rule; ordinance, regulation, statute

Near Antonyms

appeal, entreaty, petition, plea, urging; proposal, recommendation, suggestion

See Synonym Discussion at power

Other Military Terms

bivouac, logistics, petard, salient, sally, supernumerary, tactical

³command

adjective

Definition of COMMAND

: done on command or request <a command performance>

First Known Use of COMMAND

1826