noun

order

AW-duh

noun

The arrangement of things in a particular sequence or pattern.

"Please put these files in alphabetical order."

"The runners lined up in the order they had finished the previous race."

A state of being calm, controlled, and free from disturbance; conformity with rules or law.

"The police were called in to restore order after the protest turned chaotic."

An instruction or command given by someone in authority.

"The captain gave the order to abandon ship."

A request to buy, sell, or supply goods or services.

"I placed an order for a new laptop online."

"The restaurant took our order within minutes of us sitting down."

A group of monks, nuns, or knights bound by shared rules and purpose; also, a rank in scientific classification between class and family.

"Cats and dogs belong to different families but the same taxonomic order, Carnivora."

verb

To instruct someone to do something, or to request goods or services.

"The general ordered the troops to retreat."

"We ordered pizza for the whole office."

To arrange things into a proper sequence.

"She ordered the photographs chronologically before putting them in the album."

How to Use Order

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA broad word covering arrangement, instructions, requests for goods, and groups bound by rules — context tells you which meaning applies.

Common pairings

in order place an order give an order restore order out of order

Word Forms

ordered past tense, orders plural, order plural, ordered plural, orders singular, order singular, ordered singular, orderest singular, orderedst singular, ordereth singular

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Fill the Gap

Can you complete this real example?

Please put these files in alphabetical _____.

Etymology

From Old French ordre, from Latin ōrdō, "a row" — originally referring to the row of threads on a loom.

Synonyms

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ordo association brotherhood league sisterhood society

Antonyms

chaos disorder

Related Words

disease football league anarchy chaos fraternity disorder society

Rhymes for order

border disorder recorder camcorder tricorder

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