orders
plural of “order” — (often plural) a command given by a superior (e.g., a military or law enforcement officer) that must be obeyed
An inflected form of order · plural.
How often you will meet it
Rank 1,123 of 71,295 words measured. It occurs 16,352 times across 155,139 chapters — 0.008% of every word in the library.
What it means
noun
- (often plural) a command given by a superior (e.g., a military or law enforcement officer) that must be obeyed the British ships dropped anchor and waited for orders from London
- a degree in a continuum of size or quantity also: order of magnitude it was on the order of a milean explosion of a low order of magnitude
- established customary state (especially of society) order ruled in the streetslaw and order
- logical or comprehensible arrangement of separate elements also: ordering, ordination we shall consider these questions in the inverse order of their presentation
- a condition of regular or proper arrangement also: orderliness he put his desk in orderthe machine is now in working order
- a legally binding command or decision entered on the court record (as if issued by a court or judge) also: decree, edict, fiat, rescript a friend in New Mexico said that the order caused no trouble out there
orders in real books
Each sentence below was written by a published author and is taken from a different book in our library. Open one to read the passage it came from, with narration.
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The master of the hounds, the equerries, and huntsmen hastened to obey his orders.
An Egyptian Princess — Volume 07 · Georg Ebers · Chapter 1
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I quite sympathize with the rage of the English democracy against what they call the vices of the upper orders.
The Picture of Dorian Gray · Oscar Wilde · Chapter 1
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Nearly all were titled, and decorated with many foreign orders; and the remainder were bankers, office-holders, and even some ex-ministers.
Other People's Money · Emile Gaboriau · Chapter 1
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Wild was the life we led; Many the souls that sped, Many the hearts that bled, By our stern orders.
The Complete Poetical Works of Henry · Henry Wadsworth Longfellow · Chapter 1
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The message went the rounds, everybody accepted the invitation, and Elsie's orders for the day to cook and housekeeper, were given accordingly.
Christmas with Grandma Elsie · Martha Finley · Chapter 1