command

I

(New American Roget's College Thesaurus)

Order of authority

Nouns

1. command, commandment, order, ordinance, fiat, bidding, dictum, behest, call, beck, nod; direction, injunction, charge; instructions. Informal, say-so. See authority, rule.

2. (request for something) demand, exaction, imposition, requisition, claim, ultimatum, terms, requirement, directive.

3. (command to do something) dictation, dictate, mandate; caveat, decree, rescript, precept; bull, edict, prescription, brevet, ukase, mittimus, mandamus, summons, subpoena, nisi prius, citation, court order; word of command; bugle or trumpet call, beat of drum, tattoo; order of the day.

4. (person giving a command) commander, commandant, captain, commanding officer, skipper, commodore; chief, headman, chieftain, leader; process server. See director, combatant.

Verbs — command, order, decree, ordain, dictate, direct, give orders; prescribe, set, appoint, mark out; set or impose a task; set to work; bid, enjoin, charge, call upon, instruct; require, exact, impose, tax, task; demand, insist on, compel (see compulsion); claim, lay claim to, reclaim; cite, summon; call or send for, subpoena, beckon; make a requisition, decree, or order, issue a command; give the word or signal; call to order; lay down the law; assume command (see authority); remand.

Adjectives

1. commanded, mandatory, compulsory, mandated, prescriptive, obligatory; required, imposed; absolute, carved in stone, decisive, final, irrevocable.

2. commanding, peremptory, authoritative, in command (see authority); demanding, exacting, insistent.

Adverbs — in demand, at or on sight, on call, to order, by command.

Phrases — he that cannot obey cannot command.

Quotations — It is sad to remember that when anyone has fairly mastered the art of command, the necessity for that art usually expires (Gen. George S. Patton).

Antonyms, see obedience.

II

(Roget's IV) n.

1. [An order]

Syn. injunction, direction, directive, dictation, demand, decree, ultimatum, prohibition, interdiction, canon, rule, call, summons, imposition, precept, mandate, charge, behest, edict, proclamation, instruction, proscription, ban, adjuration, requirement, dictate, subpoena, commandment, dictum, word of command, writ, citation, imperative, notification, will, regulation, ordinance, law, act, fiat, bidding, word, requisition, request, exaction, enactment, order of the day, caveat, prescript, warrant; see also law 3 , request .

Ant. countermand, revocation, retraction.

2. [The power to issue orders]

Syn. authority, control, leadership, mastery, sway, domination, dominion, sovereignty, rule, coercion, compulsion, constraint, restraint, hold, grasp, grip, charge, direction, management, prerogative, right, headship, warrant, authorization, supremacy, primacy, suzerainty, jurisdiction, absolutism, despotism, tyranny, ascendancy, lead, supervision, predominance, government, rulership, superintendence, directorship, presidency, empire, lordship, royalty; see also administration 1 , power 2 .

3. [Ability to use]

Syn. mastery, expertise, facility, grasp; see ability 2 , mastery 2 .

4. [An area or group subject to orders]

Syn. unit, squad, group, company, battalion, regiment, division, army, air command, post, fort, camp, garrison, brigade, platoon, corps, battery, administrative and tactical unit, sector, field of command, vanguard, rear, center, left flank, right flank, area under a commander, station under a commander; see also army 2 .

See Synonym Study at power . v.

1. [To issue an order]

Syn. order, bid, charge, direct, instruct, authorize, enjoin, dictate, decree, proscribe, prescribe, tell, forbid, demand, restrain, check, prohibit, interdict, inhibit, ban, bar, rule, rule out, debar, call, summon, ordinate, mandate, cite, set, require, impose, exact, appoint, commission, give orders, give directions, proclaim, issue a command, call to order, send for, beckon, send on a mission, force upon, call on, call upon, take charge, take the lead, enact, ordain, order with authority, make a requisition, task, inflict, compel, adjure, subpoena, warrant, call for, state authoritatively, lay down the law*, call the shots*, boss around*, put one's foot down*, say the word*; see also require 2 .

Ant. obey*, submit, follow.

2. [To have control]

Syn. direct, rule, govern, dominate, overrule, have sway, determine, override, control, master, conquer, guide, lead, have the ascendancy, compel, conduct, administer, supervise, superintend, run, reign, have authority over, overbear, coach, head, dictate, exact, restrain, check, manage, curb, have at one's bidding, have at one's disposal, hold, hold back, force, wield influence, carry authority, be head of, boss, predominate, preside over, reign over, oppress, tyrannize, repress, prevail, exercise power over, domineer, lord it, constrain, hinder, subdue, prevail over, push, coerce, be master of, oppress, have superiority over, have dominion over, require, oblige, shepherd, captain, train, limit, hold office, occupy a post, officiate, chair, take possession of, impel, drive, move, regulate, have the deciding voice, take charge of, have charge of, take over, take in hand, keep in hand, take the reins, hold the reins, be the boss of, rule the roost*, crack the whip*, run the show*, be in the saddle, be in the driver's seat*, wrap around one's finger*, have the upper hand*, have the whip hand*, call the shots*; see also govern , manage 1 .

Syn.- command , when it refers to a giving of orders, implies the formal exercise of absolute authority, as by a sovereign or military leader; order often stresses peremptoriness, sometimes suggesting an arbitrary exercise of authority [ I ordered them out of the house ] ; direct and instruct are both used in connection with supervision, as in business relations, instruct perhaps more often stressing explicitness of details in the directions given; enjoin suggests a directing with urgent admonition [ he enjoined us to secrecy ] and sometimes implies a legal prohibition [ the company was enjoined from using false advertising ] ; charge implies the imposition of a task as a duty, trust, or responsibility

III

(Roget's 3 Superthesaurus)

I

n.

1. order imperative, charge, dictate, directive, prescription, ultimatum, fiat, injunction, behest, word.

2. control rule, power, authority, leadership, government, dominion, influence, supremacy, say-so, direction, upper hand. see law

II

v.

1. order demand, charge, dictate, direct, make, prescribe, decree, require, bid, enjoin, summon, *give the word, exact, compel, warrant, give an ultimatum.

2. control rule, govern, oversee, direct, supervise, lead, direct, dominate, dictate, run, head, master, reign.

IV

(Roget's Thesaurus II) I verb 1. To give orders to: bid, charge, direct, enjoin, instruct, order, tell. See OVER, WORDS. 2. To have at one's disposal: boast, enjoy, have, hold, possess. See OWNED. 3. To have authoritative charge of: captain, lead. See PRECEDE. 4. To rise above, especially so as to afford a view of: dominate, overlook, tower above (or over). See OVER. II noun 1. An authoritative indication to be obeyed: behest, bidding, charge, commandment, dictate, direction, directive, injunction, instruction (often used in plural), mandate, order, word. See OVER, WORDS. 2. The right and power to command, decide, rule, or judge: authority, control, domination, dominion, jurisdiction, mastery, might, power, prerogative, sovereignty, sway. Informal: say-so. See OVER. 3. The act of exercising controlling power or the condition of being so controlled: control, dominance, domination, dominion, mastery, reign, rule, sway. See OVER. 4. The capacity to lead others: lead, leadership. See PRECEDE. 5. Natural or acquired facility in a specific activity: ability, adeptness, art, craft, expertise, expertness, knack, mastery, proficiency, skill, technique. Informal: know-how. See ABILITY, KNOWLEDGE.