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

see all synonyms and antonyms

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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