n.
- the arrangement or disposition of people or things according to a particular sequence or method.
▸a state in which everything is in its correct place.
▸a state in which the laws and rules regulating public behaviour are observed.
- an authoritative command or direction.
▸a verbal or written request for something to be made, supplied, or served.
- a particular social, political, or economic system.
▸a social class.
▸a rank in the Christian ministry, especially that of bishop, priest, or deacon.
▸
(orders)
the rank of an ordained minister of the Church. See also holy orders.
▸Theology any of the nine grades of angelic beings in the celestial hierarchy.
- the prescribed procedure followed by a meeting, legislative assembly, or court of law.
▸a prescribed form of liturgical service.
- Biology a principal taxonomic category that ranks below class and above family.
- a society of monks, nuns, or friars living under the same rule.
▸historical a society of knights constituted in a similar way to a monastic order.
▸an institution founded by a monarch along the lines of such an order of knights for the purpose of honouring meritorious conduct.
▸a Masonic or similar fraternity.
- the quality or nature of something:
poetry of the highest order.
- any of the five classical styles of architecture (Doric, Ionic, Corinthian, Tuscan, and Composite) based on proportions of columns and the style of their decoration.
- Military equipment or uniform for a specified purpose or of a specified type:
drill order.
- Mathematics the degree of complexity of an equation, expression, etc.
▸the number of elements in a finite group.
▸the number of rows or columns in a square matrix.
v.
- give an order.
- request (something) to be made, supplied, or served.
- arrange methodically.
Phrase
- in order
- in the correct condition for operation or use.
- appropriate in the circumstances.
- in order for
(or that)
so that. - in order to
with the purpose of doing. - of
(or on)
the order of
approximately. - on order
(of goods) requested but not yet received. - 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
- the prevailing or required custom or state of affairs.
- (in a legislature) the business to be considered on a particular day.
- out of order
- (of an electrical or mechanical device) not working properly or at all.
- Brit. informal unacceptable or wrong.
Etymology
ME: from OFr. ordre, from L. ordo, ordin- ‘row, series’.