order

verb

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or·der | \ ˈȯr-dər

ordered; ordering\ ˈȯr-d(ə-)riŋ

Definition of order

(Entry 1 of 2)

transitive verb

1 : to put in order : arrange The books are ordered alphabetically by author.

2a : 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

2a : 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.

order

noun

Definition of order (Entry 2 of 2)

1a : 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

2a : 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

3a : 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

4a(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 sense 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

5a(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

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

b : the customary mode of procedure especially in debate point of order

7a : the state of peace, freedom from confused or unruly behavior, and respect for law or proper authority promised to restore order — see also law and order

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

8a : a style of building

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

9a : 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

10a : 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

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

Other Words from order Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More About order

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Other Words from order

Verb

orderable \ ˈȯr-d(ə-)rə-bəl

\ adjective

orderer \ ˈȯr-dər-ər

\ noun

Noun

orderless \ ˈȯr-dər-ləs

\ adjective

Choose the Right Synonym for order

Verb

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

Examples of order in a Sentence

Verb 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 website. 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! Noun 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 on the Web: Verb Even more pressing is Birmingham’s need to reduce transportation emissions order to reach its goal of carbon neutrality by 2030. — Camille Squires, Quartz, 6 Oct. 2021 Climb aboard and order Chuggington's latest toys today. — Georgia Slater, PEOPLE.com, 1 Oct. 2021 Towfiq also alleged in court papers that his neighbors had left up sun umbrellas that blocked his view, similarly to the netting, and asked the judge to order them taken down. — Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2021 During Fort Lauderdale budget hearings in mid-September, police were taken aback to see Commissioner Robert McKinzie order the city manager to find $2 million a year to hire an extra 16 firefighters to cut back on overtime. — Susannah Bryan, sun-sentinel.com, 30 Sep. 2021 Stilley also asked the court to order Braid to pay him $100,000 in damages. — Matt Ford, The New Republic, 22 Sep. 2021 And for those who were not happy with a small bottle of water and a disinfecting wipe, United is the first and currently only U.S. airline to offer economy customers the option to pre-order snacks and beverages on select routes. — Sherrie Nachman, Forbes, 17 Sep. 2021 Amid the violence on Jan. 6, when House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy called Trump and asked him to order his supporters to stand down, the president demurred, suggesting instead that the Republican congressman regard the riot as a wake-up call. — Washington Post, 17 Sep. 2021 Underwood also claimed the hospital would not allow a doctor to see her husband, despite the doctor writing an emergency privileges order to give the man ivermectin. — Mary Ramsey, The Courier-Journal, 16 Sep. 2021 Recent Examples on the Web: Noun Legal parenthood can only be transferred by parental order or adoption after the child is born, a process Daley and Black had to endure. — NBC News, 14 Oct. 2021 The Biden administration urged a federal appeals court to reinstate a judge's order blocking Texas' new ban on most abortions, arguing that the strictest such law in the nation flouts more than 200 years of precedent. — Bloomberg, Arkansas Online, 13 Oct. 2021 On Tuesday, Abbott's order immediately affected politics across the country, with candidates in top races seizing on it for their own advantage. — BostonGlobe.com, 13 Oct. 2021 Waco ISD is one of about a dozen districts in the state facing a lawsuit by the Texas attorney general for violating the governor's order. — Marlene Lenthang, ABC News, 13 Oct. 2021 Brands pay a flat fee on a monthly basis and a fee per order, which covers warehousing and delivery. — Sharon Edelson, Forbes, 13 Oct. 2021 On Tuesday, Abbott’s order immediately affected politics across the country, with candidates in top races seizing on it for their own advantage. — Annie Linskey, Fenit Nirappil, Ian Duncan, Anchorage Daily News, 13 Oct. 2021 Opting to forgo the in-person shopping strategy and order online? — Skyler Caruso, PEOPLE.com, 13 Oct. 2021 Bowser wanted to skirt a judge’s order that would have led to MedStar losing its contract. — Washington Post, 13 Oct. 2021

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.

History and Etymology for order

Verb

Middle English, from ordre, noun

Noun

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

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Dictionary Entries Near order

ordeal tree

order

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Statistics for order

Last Updated

15 Oct 2021

Cite this Entry

“Order.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/order. Accessed 18 Oct. 2021.

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More Definitions for order

order

verb

English Language Learners Definition of order

(Entry 1 of 2)

: to use your authority to tell someone to do something : to give an order to someone

: to say that (something) must be done

: to request (something) from a company

order

noun

English Language Learners Definition of order (Entry 2 of 2)

: 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

See the full definition for order in the English Language Learners Dictionary

order

verb

or·der | \ ˈȯr-dər

ordered; ordering

Kids Definition of order

(Entry 1 of 2)

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

Kids Definition of order (Entry 2 of 2)

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

order

transitive verb

or·der | \ ˈȯrd-ər

ordered; ordering\ ˈȯrd-(ə-)riŋ

Medical Definition of order

(Entry 1 of 2)

: to give a prescription for : prescribe the doctor ordered bed rest

order

noun

Medical Definition of order (Entry 2 of 2)

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

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order

noun

or·der

Legal Definition of order

(Entry 1 of 2)

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

3a : 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

4a : 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