COMMAND


Meaning of COMMAND in English

■ verb

1》 give an authoritative or peremptory order.

↘ Military be in charge of (a unit).

↘ archaic control or restrain (oneself or one's feelings).

2》 dominate (a strategic position) from a superior height.

3》 be in a strong enough position to have or secure: they ~ a majority in Parliament.

■ noun

1》 an authoritative order.

↘authority, especially over armed forces: the officer in ~.

↘a group of officers exercising control over a group or operation.

↘a body of troops or a district under the control of a particular officer.

2》 the ability to use or control something: his ~ of English.

3》 an instruction causing a computer to perform one of its basic functions.

Origin

ME: from OFr. comander , from late L. ~are , from com- (expressing intensive force) + mandare 'commit, ~'.

Concise Oxford English vocab.      Сжатый оксфордский словарь английского языка.