1 order
/ˈoɚdɚ/
noun
plural
orders
1 order
/ˈoɚdɚ/
noun
plural
orders
Britannica Dictionary definition of ORDER
1
:
a statement made by a person with authority that tells someone to do something
:
an instruction or direction that must be obeyed
[count]
-
The captain was barking out orders [=commands] to the crew.
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That's an order, not a request!
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Failing to comply with an order will result in the loss of your job.
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She received an order to appear in court.
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They can't close down the school without an order from the governor's office.
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The mayor gave/issued an order to evacuate the city.
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It's not his fault. He was only following/obeying orders.
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I'm not taking orders from you! You're not my boss.
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She left the hospital against her doctor's orders. [=her doctor told her not to leave, but she left anyway]
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The soldiers were under (strict) orders to shoot anything that moved.
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[noncount]
-
The city was evacuated by order of the mayor.
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— see also cease and desist order, court order, executive order, gag order, marching orders, money order, restraining order, standing order, tall order
2
a
:
a specific request asking a company to supply goods or products to a customer
[count]
-
The store received an order for 200 roses this morning.
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They had trouble filling large customer orders.
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I placed a book order [=an order for a book] yesterday.
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I'd like to cancel my order.
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We offer free shipping on orders over 50 dollars.
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[noncount]
-
We don't have that CD in the store right now, but we do have it on order. [=we have ordered it but it has not yet been delivered]
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The book is on (special) order from the publisher.
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Dresses in larger sizes are available by special order.
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— see also back order, mail order, purchase order
b
[count]
:
a product or a group of products that someone has requested from a company
-
We shipped your order last Thursday.
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3
[count]
a
:
a request for food or drinks made at a restaurant
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The waiter still hasn't come to take our order.
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May I take your order?
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Please wait in this line to place your order.
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b
:
the food and drinks that someone has requested at a restaurant
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Your order will be ready any minute now.
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Is this order for here or to go? [=do you want to eat in this restaurant or take the food somewhere else?]
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c
:
an amount of food that is served at a restaurant
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I'd like a large order of French fries, please.
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I'd like a hamburger with a side order of fries. [=I'd like an order of fries with my hamburger]
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4
:
the particular way that things or events are organized in a list or series
[singular]
-
Roll the dice to determine the order of play. [=to decide who will play first, second, third, etc.]
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The names were listed in no particular order.
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He remembers things happening in a different order.
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The actors' names are listed in the order of their appearance. = They are listed in the order in which they appear.
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Do these steps in the correct/proper/right order.
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[noncount]
-
a series of jobs listed in order of difficulty/importance/size
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The top three contestants were named in random order.
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Her CDs are arranged in alphabetical order according to the artists' names.
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a series of events given in chronological/historical order
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They rank the wines in ascending/descending order according to their quality.
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The movie tells the story of her life in reverse order. [=from the end to the beginning]
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The books on those shelves are out of order. They need to be put in order.
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— see also pecking order
5
[noncount]
a
:
an organized and proper state or condition
-
Two weeks after the disaster, he has managed to bring order out of (the) chaos.
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Hundreds of families are struggling to get/put their lives back in order after the earthquake.
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Get your passport in order before you leave for your trip.
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All her documents were in order.
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She makes sure the organization's finances are in good order.
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Drivers must keep their trucks clean and in (good) working order. [=working properly]
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— opposite disorder
b
:
the state in which people behave properly, follow rules or laws, and respect authority
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Our leaders must restore order to the city.
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the loss of public order
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Some teachers have trouble maintaining order in the classroom.
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a lack of order and discipline
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“Order, order in the court!” the judge shouted at the unruly men.
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6
[singular]
:
a social or political system
:
the way that a society is organized or controlled
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These young activists dared to challenge the established social order.
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calling for the end of the old order
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a new world order
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They seem to have accepted poverty as part of the natural order of things.
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7
[singular]
:
a level of quality or excellence
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a teacher of the first/highest order [=an excellent teacher]
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Their customer service is of a higher order than that of their competitors.
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8
[count]
chiefly British
:
a social class
— usually plural
-
servants and other members of the lower orders
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9
[count]
biology
:
a group of related plants or animals that is larger than a family
-
humans, apes, and other members of the order Primates
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10
[count]
:
a large organization of people who have similar jobs or interests and who give help to other members
-
the Masonic Order
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the Fraternal Order of Police
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11
[count]
:
a religious organization whose members usually live together and promise to follow special rules and traditions
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joining a religious/monastic order
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an order of Catholic missionaries
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— see also holy orders
12
[count]
:
a group of people who have been given an honor or reward by a country's ruler
-
The Queen made him a Member of the Order of the British Empire.
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call (something) to order
:
to say that (something, such as a meeting or court session) should begin
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She called the meeting to order at 8:15.
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His lawyer arrived 10 minutes before court was called to order.
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house in order
— see 1house
in apple-pie order
— see apple pie
in order
:
appropriate or desirable
-
After finishing that three-year project, I decided that a vacation was in order.
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An apology is in order, I believe.
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— see also 1order 4 (above), 1order 5a (above)
in order for
:
to make it possible for someone or something to be or to do something
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In order for companies to be successful, they have to sell their products at competitive prices.
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We all have to work together in order for us to win. = We can win, but in order for that to happen, we all have to work together.
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They were told that in order for them to keep their jobs, they would have to accept a cut in pay.
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in order that
formal
— used to say the reason for something
-
These soldiers gave their lives in order that [=so that] we may live in a safer and more peaceful world.
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in order to
:
to make it possible for something to happen
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In order to succeed, companies have to sell their products at competitive prices.
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People come here in order to give their children a better life.
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She has to work two jobs in order to [=so that she can] support her family.
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I checked my bags twice in order to make sure that I had everything.
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in short order
— see 1short
law and order
— see law
on the order of
(chiefly US)
or British
in/of the order of
:
around or about (a specified number)
-
The government has spent on the order of [=approximately] ten million dollars on the project.
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He receives something on the order of 100 e-mails a day.
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out of order
1
:
not working properly
:
not able to be used
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The elevator's out of order [=broken] again. We'll have to take the stairs.
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The sign on the coffee machine says “out of order.”
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2
:
not following the formal rules of a meeting, court session, etc.
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At the last town council meeting, her proposal was ruled out of order by the mayor.
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The mayor ruled her out of order.
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3
British, informal
:
beyond what is reasonable or allowable
:
not right or appropriate
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Your behavior was completely out of order. [=out of line]
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His comments were out of order.
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— see also 1order 4 (above)
to order
:
in response to a specific order or request
-
Everything in this restaurant is cooked to order.
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— see also made-to-order
— orderless
/ˈoɚdɚləs/
adjective
-
a lawless and orderless society
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2 order
/ˈoɚdɚ/
verb
orders;
ordered;
ordering
2 order
/ˈoɚdɚ/
verb
orders;
ordered;
ordering
Britannica Dictionary definition of ORDER
1
[+ object]
a
:
to use your authority to tell someone to do something
:
to give an order to someone
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They ordered everyone out of the house.
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The soldiers were ordered back to the base.
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“Stop! Drop your weapon!” ordered the officer.
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— usually followed by to + verb
-
The police officer ordered him to stop and drop his weapon.
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The soldiers were ordered to return to the base.
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Everyone on the ship was ordered to put on their life jackets.
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I order you to leave this instant!
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b
:
to say that (something) must be done
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The court threw out the conviction and ordered a new trial.
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The judge ordered that the charges be dismissed.
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He was accused of ordering the murder of his wife.
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2
:
to place an order for (something): such as
a
:
to request (something) from a company
[+ object]
-
I ordered the books from the company's Web site.
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The shirt you ordered should arrive in the mail in a couple of days.
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[no object]
-
To order, call the number at the bottom of your screen.
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Order now and receive a free gift!
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b
:
to request (food or drinks) from a restaurant
[+ object]
-
I'd like to order a large cheese pizza.
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She sat down at the bar and ordered a drink.
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Would you like me to order you a drink? = Would you like me to order a drink for you?
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I had the fish and he ordered the steak.
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Do you know what you're going to order?
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[no object]
-
“Are you ready to order?” the waiter asked.
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We've already ordered.
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3
[+ object]
:
to organize (things) in a particular list or series
:
to put things in a particular order or position
-
The books are ordered [=arranged] alphabetically by author.
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— see also reorder
just what the doctor ordered
— see 1doctor
order around
[phrasal verb]
or chiefly British
order about
order (someone) around/about
:
to give orders to (someone)
:
to tell (someone) what to do
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He was tired of being ordered [=bossed] around by his parents and teachers.
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You can't just come in here and start ordering people around.
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— orderable
/ˈoɚdɚrəbəl/
adjective
-
an orderable book
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— orderer
/ˈoɚdɚrɚ/
noun,
plural
orderers
[count]
