I. kə-ˈmand verb
Etymology: Middle English comanden, from Anglo-French cumander, from Vulgar Latin * commandare, alteration of Latin commendare to commit to one's charge — more at commend
Date: 14th century
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
command s many resources
b. : to demand or receive as one's due
command s a high fee
c. : to overlook or dominate from or as if from a strategic position
a hill that command s 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
Synonyms:
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
II. noun
Date: 15th century
1.
a. : an order given
b. : a signal that actuates a device (as a control mechanism in a spacecraft or one step in a computer) ; also : the activation of a device by means of such a signal
2.
a. : the ability to control : mastery
b. : the authority or right to command
the officer in command
c.
(1) : the power to dominate
(2) : scope of vision
d. : facility in use
a good command of French
e. : control 1d
a pitcher with good command of his curveball
3. : the act of commanding
4. : the personnel, area, or organization under a commander ; specifically : a unit of the United States Air Force higher than an air force
5. : a position of highest usually military authority
Synonyms: see power
III. adjective
Date: 1826
: done on command or request
a command performance