order

play

verb or·der \ ˈȯr-dər \

Updated on: 26 Jul 2017

Definition of order

ordered; ordering play \ˈȯr-d(ə-)riŋ\

transitive verb

1 :to put in order :arrange

The books are ordered alphabetically by author.

2 a :to give an order to :command

They ordered everyone out of the house.

b :destine, ordain

so ordered by the gods

c :to command to go or come to a specified place

ordered back to the base

d :to give an order for

order a meal

I ordered the books from the company's website.

The judge ordered a new trial.

intransitive verb

1 :to bring about order :regulate

a renascence of the spirit that orders and controls
—H. G. Wells

2 a :to issue orders :command

The general orders and soldiers obey.

b :to give or place an order

Be sure to order before it's too late.

—

orderable

play \ˈȯr-d(ə-)rə-bəl\ adjective

—

orderer

play \ˈȯr-dər-ər\ noun

See order defined for English-language learners

See order defined for kids

Examples of order in a Sentence

They ordered everyone out of the house.
The soldiers were ordered back to the base.
“Stop! Drop your weapon!” ordered the officer.
The court threw out the conviction and ordered a new trial.
The judge ordered that the charges be dismissed.
He was accused of ordering the murder of his wife.
I ordered the books from the company's Web site.
The shirt you ordered should arrive in the mail in a couple of days.
To order, call the number at the bottom of your screen.
Order now and receive a free gift!

Recent Examples of order from the Web

Municipalities on the coast also sued BP privately and settled out of court, with a federal judge in New Orleans ordering BP to settle the accounts within 30 days.

— christopher harress, AL.com, "How was the Deepwater Horizon BP Settlement money spent?," 30 Aug. 2017
The region overhauled its evacuation plan after Rita and there was far less trouble when a quarter-million people were ordered out ahead of Hurricane Ike in 2008.

— reese dunklin, The Seattle Times, "Experts say decision on Houston evacuations was complicated," 29 Aug. 2017
As well as ordering Google to come up with a solution, the Commission said the U.S. company must stop the practice by Sept. 28.

— reuters, Fortune, "Google to Reveal Plans for Complying With European Antitrust Laws," 29 Aug. 2017
The American people — and most importantly, the men and women of the armed forces who will be ordered into a combat environment — deserve a full, detailed, and comprehensive explanation of what Trump has in mind.

— daniel depetris, National Review, "Five Questions for Trump on Afghanistan," 27 Aug. 2017
Diners will also be able to order à la carte at the bar, which might be one of the best deals in the city.

— sam dangremond, Town & Country, "Eleven Madison Park Is Reopening in October," 25 Aug. 2017
As a condition of his release, Woulfe must surrender his passport and cannot operate a motor vehicle, the judge ordered.

— zak koeske, Daily Southtown, "Bond reduced for Beecher man charged in fatal crash," 25 Aug. 2017
Last year, Johnson & Johnson was ordered to pay $72 million, $55 million and $70 million in three similar jury verdicts.

— brigit katz, Smithsonian, "Woman Wins $417 Million in Lawsuit Tying Baby Powder to Ovarian Cancer," 24 Aug. 2017
Kittleman ordered the monument's removal following a five-day public notice period required as part of the historic review process from the county's Historic Preservation Commission, according to a statement from the executive's office.

— kate magill, Howard County Times, "Confederate monument removed from Circuit Court building," 22 Aug. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'order.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of order

Middle English, from ordre, noun

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 13th century

See Words from the same year

order Synonyms

Synonyms

arrange, array, classify, codify, dispose, draw up, lay out, marshal (also marshall), organize, range, systematize

Antonyms

derange, disarrange, disarray, disorder, mess (up), muss (up), rumple, upset

Related Words

groom, make up, spruce (up), straighten (up), tidy (up); unscramble; align (also aline), cue, line, line up, queue; alphabetize, file, hierarchize, prioritize, sequence; emplace, place, set; display, map (out), set out

Near Antonyms

cancel, countermand, rescind

Synonym Discussion of order

order, arrange, marshal, organize, systematize, methodize mean to put persons or things into their proper places in relation to each other. order suggests a straightening out so as to eliminate confusion.

- ordered her business affairs

arrange implies a setting in sequence, relationship, or adjustment.

- arranged the files numerically

marshal suggests gathering and arranging in preparation for a particular operation or effective use.

- marshaling the facts for argument

organize implies arranging so that the whole aggregate works as a unit with each element having a proper function.

- organized the volunteers into teams

systematize implies arranging according to a predetermined scheme.

- systematized billing procedures

methodize suggests imposing an orderly procedure rather than a fixed scheme.

- methodizes every aspect of daily living

synonyms see in addition command

order

noun

Definition of order

1 a :a group of people united in a formal way: such as

(1) :a fraternal society

the Masonic Order

(2) :a community under a religious rule; especially :one requiring members to take solemn vows

b :a badge or medal of such a society; also :a military decoration

2 a :any of the several grades of the Christian ministry

b orders plural :the office of a person in the Christian ministry

c orders plural :ordination

3 a :a rank, class, or special group in a community or society

b :a class of persons or things grouped according to quality, value, or natural characteristics: such as

(1) :a category of taxonomic classification ranking above the family and below the class

(2) :the broadest category in soil classification

4 a (1) :rank, level

a statesman of the first order

(2) :category, class

in emergencies of this order
—R. B. Westerfield

b (1) :the arrangement or sequence of objects or of events in time

listed the items in order of importance

the batting order

(2) :a sequential arrangement of mathematical elements

c :degree 12a

d (1) :the number of times differentiation is applied successively

derivatives of higher order

(2) of a differential equation :the order of the derivative of highest order

e :the number of columns or rows or columns and rows in a magic square, determinant, or matrix

the order of a matrix with 2 rows and 3 columns is 2 by 3

f :the number of elements in a finite mathematical group

5 a (1) :a sociopolitical system

was opposed to changes in the established order

(2) :a particular sphere or aspect of a sociopolitical system

the present economic order

b :a regular or harmonious arrangement

the order of nature

6 a :a prescribed form of a religious service :rite

b :the customary mode of procedure especially in debate

point of order

7 a :the state of peace, freedom from confused or unruly behavior, and respect for law or proper authority

promised to restore law and order

b :a specific rule, regulation, or authoritative direction :command

8 a :a style of building

b :a type of column and entablature forming the unit of a style

9 a :state or condition especially with regard to functioning or repair

things were in terrible order

b :a proper, orderly, or functioning condition

their passports were in order

the phone is out of order

10 a :a written direction to pay money to someone

b :a commission to purchase, sell, or supply goods or to perform work

c :goods or items bought or sold

d :an assigned or requested undertaking

landing men on the moon was a tall order

11 :order of the day

flat roofs were the order in the small villages

—

orderless

play \ˈȯr-dər-ləs\ adjective

— in order

:appropriate, desirable

an apology is in order

— in order to

:for the purpose of

— on order

:in the process of being ordered

— on the order of

1 :after the fashion of :like

a genius on the order of Newton
—D. B. Botkin

2 :about, approximately

spent on the order of two million dollars

— to order

:according to the specifications of an order

shoes made to order

See order defined for English-language learners

Examples of order in a Sentence

That's an order, not a request!
Failing to comply with an order will result in the loss of your job.
She received an order to appear in court.
They can't close down the school without an order from the governor's office.
The mayor gave an order to evacuate the city.
It's not his fault. He was only following orders.
I'm not taking orders from you! You're not my boss.
The city was evacuated by order of the mayor.
The store received an order for 200 roses this morning.
They had trouble filling large customer orders.

Recent Examples of order from the Web

This job jeopardy is an emerging consequence of a ban enacted by presidential order in January — and fought in court ever since.

— jeff gammage, Philly.com, "Trump's travel ban casualties: laid-off refugee workers," 30 Aug. 2017
Earlier on Friday, lawyers for the Public Education Employees' Health Insurance Plan requested a stay of the order by Montgomery County Circuit Judge Johnny Hardwick.

— mike cason, AL.com, "Judge's order for Alabama education employees health care refunds might go on hold," 28 Aug. 2017
But in order to approve the drug for the U.S. market, the FDA requires that clinical trials involving human participants be reviewed and approved by an IRB or an international equivalent.

— marisa taylor, Kaiser Health News, "Offshore Human Testing Of Herpes Vaccine Stokes Debate Over U.S. Safety Rules," 28 Aug. 2017
Police issued trespass orders Saturday afternoon for camping and then again Saturday night for being in the park after dusk, Gundel said.

— rolf boone, The Seattle Times, "One person arrested in camping protest at Olympia’s Watershed Park," 27 Aug. 2017
Pre-order #reputation (link in bio) and find out about tickets and merch at taylorswift.com ...ready for it?

— lilian min, Cosmopolitan, "Taylor Swift Releases New Song "Look What You Made Me Do"," 25 Aug. 2017
Appetizers (called side orders) include Vietnamese-style fresh spring rolls and crispy spring rolls (cha gio), in addition to other Asian starters such as tempura shrimp, wonton soup, crab rangoon and sweet and sour pork.

— james patrick kelly, idahostatesman, "Pho 779 offers traditional Vietnamese fare at Meridian restaurant," 24 Aug. 2017
For one thing, PCA will emphasize range, particularly in order to fly escort missions for B-2 and B-21 bombers over Russia and against China in the Asia-Pacific.

— kyle mizokami, Popular Mechanics, "The F-22 Raptor's Replacement Is Starting to Take Shape," 23 Aug. 2017
So more careful scrutiny of polls, particularly those conducted online, is in order, Enten argues.

— ed kilgore, Daily Intelligencer, "The Rising Tide of Shoddy Polls," 23 Aug. 2017

Illustration of order

Origin and Etymology of order

Middle English, from Anglo-French ordre, from Medieval Latin & Latin; Medieval Latin ordin-, ordo ecclesiastical order, from Latin, arrangement, group, class; akin to Latin ordiri to lay the warp, begin

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 13th century

See Words from the same year

order Synonyms

Financial Definition of ORDER

order

noun

What It Is

An alternative order is a group of limit orders linked together within a brokerage account. If one order is executed, all other linked orders are automatically canceled.

How It Works

Sometimes called an "either-or" order or a "one-cancels-all" order, an alternative order essentially gives an investor the choice to buy one out of a number of different stocks for the best price in the shortest amount of time.

If an order is partially filled, the remaining orders will be reduced proportionately to the remaining quantity of the unfilled order. If the customer cancels an order before the execution, all orders will be canceled. If the system cancels or rejects the order, the remaining orders will not automatically be canceled.

This trading strategy is best illustrated with an example.

Let's assume an investor wants to invest $10,000 in the market, but he wants to buy stock in only one of three companies. He knows the circumstances under which he wants to buy each company (the "trigger condition”). He places an alternative order with the following trigger conditions:

a) Limit Order 1 - Company X is trading at $40. The investor places a limit order to buy Company X if it drops to $35.

b) Limit Order 2 - Company Y is trading at $42. The investor places a limit order to buy Company Y if it drops to $38.

c) Limit Order 3 - Company Z is trading at $45. The investor places a limit order to buy Company Z if it drops to $40.

Company X and Y hold steady, but Company Z drops to $40 and triggers Limit Order 3. The limit order for Company Z is executed and automatically cancels the limit orders for Company X and Company Y.

Why It Matters

Alternative orders allow investors flexibility to bet on their informed hunches, while curtailing their exposure. They can make a dynamic bet on the market, simultaneously playing several angles, with a floor as to how much they can lose.

This type of order is more complex than a normal order, and not all brokerages accept alternative orders. Even when brokerages do, the procedures, rules and terms may vary. Check with your brokers for the specific details before placing an alternative order.

Source: Investing Answers

ORDER Defined for English Language Learners

order

noun

Definition of order for English Language Learners

: a statement made by a person with authority that tells someone to do something : an instruction or direction that must be obeyed
: a specific request asking a company to supply goods or products to a customer
: a product or a group of products that someone has requested from a company

ORDER Defined for Kids

order

play

verb or·der \ ˈȯr-dər \

Definition of order for Students

ordered; ordering

1 :to put into a particular grouping or sequence :arrange

Dictionary entries are ordered alphabetically.

2 :to give a command to or for

The general ordered troops into battle.

I went to the counter to order lunch.

order

noun

Definition of order for Students

1 :a certain rule or regulation :command

… when he gave orders … everyone knew … that he expected to be obeyed.
—Anna Sewell, Black Beauty

2 :the arrangement of objects or events in space or time

List the names in alphabetical order.

3 :the way something should be

He kept the room in order.

4 :the state of things when law or authority is obeyed

Troops restored order after the riot.

5 :good working condition

The telephone is out of order.

6 :a statement of what a person wants to buy

Place your order for a birthday cake.

7 :goods or items bought or sold an order of pancakes

8 :a group of people united (as by living under the same religious rules or by loyalty to common needs or duties)

He belongs to an order of monks.

9 orders plural :the office of a person in the Christian ministry

holy orders

10 :a group of related living things (as plants or animals) that ranks above the family and below the class in scientific classification

Bats form an order of mammals in the animal kingdom.

11 :a written direction to pay a sum of money

— in order that

:so that

— in order to

:for the purpose of

Medical Dictionary

order

play

transitive verb or·der \ ˈȯrd-ər \

medical Definition of order

ordered; ordering play \ˈȯrd-(ə-)riŋ\

:to give a prescription for :prescribe

the doctor ordered bed rest

order

noun

medical Definition of order

:a category of taxonomic classification ranking above the family and below the class

Law Dictionary

order

noun or·der

legal Definition of order

1 :a state of peace, freedom from unruly behavior, and respect for law and proper authority

maintain law and order

2 :an established mode or state of procedure

a call to order

3 a :a mandate from a superior authority — see also executive order

b :a ruling or command made by a competent administrative authority; specifically :one resulting from administrative adjudication and subject to judicial review and enforcement

an administrative order may not be inconsistent with the Constitution
—Wells v. State, 654 So. 2d 145 (1995)

c :an authoritative command issued by the court

violated a court order and was jailed for contempt

— cease-and-desist order \ˌsēs-ənd-di-ˈzist-, -ˈsist-\

:an order from a court or quasi-judicial tribunal to stop engaging in a particular activity or practice (as an unfair labor practice) — compare injunction, mandamus, stay

— consent order

:an agreement of litigating parties that by consent takes the form of a court order

— final order

:an order of a court or quasi-judicial tribunal which leaves nothing further to be determined or accomplished in that forum except execution of the judgment and from which an appeal will lie

— gag order

:an order barring public disclosure or discussion (as by the involved parties or the press) of information relating to a case

— order to show cause

:an order requiring the prospective object of a legal action to show cause why that action should not take place — called also show cause order

— pretrial order

:a court order setting out the rulings, stipulations, and other actions taken at a pretrial conference

— protection order

:restraining order in this entry

— protective order

:an order issued for the protection of a particular party: as

a :an order that limits, denies, or defers discovery by a party in order to prevent undue embarrassment, expense, oppression, or disclosure of trade secrets

b :restraining order in this entry

— qualified domestic relations order

:an order, decree, or judgment that satisfies the criteria set out in section 414 of the Internal Revenue Code for the payment of all or part of individual pension, profit sharing, or retirement benefits usually to a divorcing spouse (as for alimony or child support)

Note: The alienation or assignment of funds under a qualified domestic relations order does not affect the tax status of the plan from which such funds are paid.

— restraining order \ri-ˈstrā-niŋ-\

1 :temporary restraining order in this entry

2 :an order of a specified duration issued after a hearing attended by all parties that is intended to protect one individual from violence, abuse, harassment, or stalking by another especially by prohibiting or restricting access or proximity to the protected party

excluded from the home by a restraining order issued because of domestic violence

— called also protection order, protective order; compare temporary restraining order in this entry

— show cause order

:order to show cause in this entry

— temporary restraining order

1 :an order of brief duration that is issued ex parte to protect the plaintiff's rights from immediate and irreparable injury by preserving a situation or preventing an act until a hearing for a preliminary injunction can be held

2 :a protective order issued ex parte for a brief period prior to a hearing on a restraining order attended by both parties and intended to provide immediate protection from violence or threatened violence

— turnover order \ˈtər-ˌnō-vər-\

:an order commanding one party to turn over property to another; especially :an order commanding a judgment debtor to turn over assets to a judgment creditor

turnover order in aid of execution
—California Code of Civil Procedure

d :a command issued by a military superior

4 a :a direction regarding the party to whom a negotiable instrument shall be paid

pay to the order of John Doe

— see also money order, negotiable instrument

b :an instruction or authorization especially to buy or sell goods or securities or to perform work

a purchase order

a work order

— alternative order

:an order to a broker in which alternative methods of carrying out the order (as by buying or selling) are set forth

— open order

1 :an order to buy securities or commodity futures that remains effective until filled or canceled

2 :an order for merchandise expressed in very general terms so that the seller has considerable latitude in selecting the articles actually provided

— stop order

:an order to a broker to buy or sell a security when the price advances or declines to a designated level

c :goods or items bought or sold

the order was received in good condition

— to order

:according to the specifications of an order especially of a bearer or endorsee

payable to bearer or to order

order

adjective

legal Definition of order

:payable to a named person or to an individual that person names by an endorsement

order instrument

— compare bearer

Learn More about order

See words that rhyme with order Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for order Spanish Central: Translation of order Nglish: Translation of order for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of order for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about order

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up order? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show

order

Definition of order

orderable

orderer

Explore Merriam-Webster

Examples of order in a Sentence

Recent Examples of order from the Web

Origin and Etymology of order

order Synonyms

Synonyms

Antonyms

Related Words

Near Antonyms

Synonym Discussion of order

order

Definition of order

orderless

Examples of order in a Sentence

Recent Examples of order from the Web

Illustration of order

Origin and Etymology of order

order Synonyms

Synonyms

Related Words

Near Antonyms

Financial Definition of ORDER

What It Is

How It Works

Why It Matters

ORDER Defined for English Language Learners

order

Definition of order for English Language Learners

ORDER Defined for Kids

order

Definition of order for Students

order

Definition of order for Students

Medical Dictionary

order

medical Definition of order

order

medical Definition of order

Law Dictionary

order

legal Definition of order

order

legal Definition of order

Learn More about order

Seen and Heard

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games

Breathing Life Into 'Inspire'

Trending: Kim Jong Un: Trump a 'Dotard'

These Are Fighting Words

Merriam-Webster's New Words Quiz—Fall 2017 Edition!

Words of the Year: 1066