— commandable , adj.
/keuh mand", -mahnd"/ , v.t.
1. to direct with specific authority or prerogative; order: The captain commanded his men to attack.
2. to require authoritatively; demand: She commanded silence.
3. to have or exercise authority or control over; be master of; have at one's bidding or disposal: The Pharaoh commanded 10,000 slaves.
4. to deserve and receive (respect, sympathy, attention, etc.): He commands much respect for his attitude.
5. to dominate by reason of location; overlook: The hill commands the sea.
6. to have authority over and responsibility for (a military or naval unit or installation); be in charge of.
v.i.
7. to issue an order or orders.
8. to be in charge; have authority.
9. to occupy a dominating position; look down upon or over a body of water, region, etc.
n.
10. the act of commanding or ordering.
11. an order given by one in authority: The colonel gave the command to attack.
12. Mil.
a. an order in prescribed words, usually given in a loud voice to troops at close-order drill: The command was "Right shoulder arms!"
b. the order of execution or the second part of any two-part close-order drill command, as face in Right face!
c. ( cap. ) a principal component of the U.S. Air Force: Strategic Air Command.
d. a body of troops or a station, ship, etc., under a commander.
13. the possession or exercise of controlling authority: a lieutenant in command of a platoon.
14. expertise; mastery: He has a command of French, Russian, and German.
15. Brit. a royal order.
16. power of dominating a region by reason of location; extent of view or outlook: the command of the valley from the hill.
17. Computers.
a. an electric impulse, signal, or set of signals for initiating an operation in a computer.
b. a character, symbol, or item of information for instructing a computer to perform a specific task.
c. a single instruction.
adj.
18. of, pertaining to, or for use in the exercise of command: a command car; command post.
19. of or pertaining to a commander: a command decision.
20. ordered by a sovereign, as if by a sovereign, or by the exigencies of a situation: a command performance.
[ 1250-1300; (v.) ME coma ( u ) nden com ( m ) a ( u ) nder, OF comander commandare, equiv. to L com- COM- + mandare to entrust, order (cf. COMMEND); (n.) late ME comma ( u ) nde ]
Syn. 1. bid, demand, charge, instruct, enjoin. See direct. 3. govern, control, oversee, manage, lead. See rule. 4. exact, compel, require, claim, secure. 10. direction, bidding, injunction, charge, mandate, instruction. 13. ascendancy, sway, domination.
Ant. 1, 7. obey.