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command

noun, verb — 18 senses

command

noun

UK /kəˈmɑːnd/ · US /kəˈmænd/

Etymology From Middle English commanden, commaunden, comaunden, comanden, from Old French comander, from Late Latin commandāre, from Latin commendāre. Ultimately from Latin com- + mandō (whence ultimately also commend (a doublet), mandate, and recommend), from manus + -dō. Compare typologically Russian поручи́ть (poručítʹ), поруче́ние (poručénije), руководи́ть (rukovodítʹ), руководи́тель (rukovodítelʹ) related to рука́ (ruká).

10 senses
  1. 1An order to do something.
  2. 2The right or authority to order, control or dispose of…
  3. 3power of control, direction or disposal; mastery.
  4. 4A position of chief authority; a position involving the…
  5. 5The act of commanding; exercise or authority of influence.
  6. 6A body or troops, or any naval or military force, under…
  7. 7Dominating situation; range or control or oversight…
  8. 8A directive to a computer program acting as an…
  9. 9The degree of control a pitcher has over his pitches.
  10. 10A command performance.
1

An order to do something.

  • I was given a command to cease shooting.
2

The right or authority to order, control or dispose of; the right to be obeyed or to compel obedience.

  • to have command of an army
  • GAGE, at that time, had command of troops near the lakes; and fearing an attack from the Indians, had called for some new recruits from Massachusetts; but the Assembly judged them not necessary.1822, Alden Bradford, History of Massachusetts ..., Richardson and Lord, page 41:
1 more example
  • It wasn't a decisive operation, and Carthage still had command of Spain.2013, Barry Strauss, Masters of Command: Alexander, Hannibal, Caesar, and the Genius of ..., Simon and Schuster, →ISBN, page 68:
3

power of control, direction or disposal; mastery.

  • he had command of the situation
  • England has long held command of the sea
2 more examples
  • a good command of language
  • The Indians had command of the lands and the waters — command of all their beneficial use, whether kept for hunting, 'and grazing roving herds of stock,' or turned to agriculture and the arts of civilization.1985, Peter Iverson, The Plains Indians of the Twentieth Century, University of Oklahoma Press, →ISBN, page 93:
4

A position of chief authority; a position involving the right or power to order or control.

  • General Smith was placed in command.
5

The act of commanding; exercise or authority of influence.

  • Command cannot be otherwise than savage, for it implies an appeal to force, should force be needful.1851, Herbert Spencer, Social Statics, page 180:
6

Government, Military, Politics, War A body or troops, or any naval or military force, under the control of a particular officer; by extension, any object or body in someone's charge.

  • I asked myself what I was to do there, now my boat was lost. As a matter of fact, I had plenty to do in fishing my command out of the river.1899 February, Joseph Conrad, “The Heart of Darkness”, in Blackwood’s Edinburgh Magazine, volume CLXV, number M, New York, N.Y.: The Leonard Scott Publishing Company, […], →OCLC, part I:
  • Filing a complaint against a police officer in New Bedford without the benefit of witnesses is difficult, if not impossible. The police command, from sergeant to chief, is summarily defensive of the actions of police officers.1977 August 20, David Brill, “Civil Custody Law Harasses New Bedford Gays”, in Gay Community News, volume 5, number 7, page 3:
7

Dominating situation; range or control or oversight; extent of view or outlook.

8

Computing, Engineering, Mathematics, Natural sciences, Physical sciences, Sciences A directive to a computer program acting as an interpreter of some kind, in order to perform a specific task.

9

Ball games, Baseball, Games, Hobbies, Lifestyle, Sports The degree of control a pitcher has over his pitches.

  • He's got good command tonight.
10

A command performance.

  • Atkinson […] had hinted to me that the Duke of Richmond was so delighted with my acting that he should not be surprised if there was a second command.1809, Dorothy Jordan, letter, cited in Claire Tomalin, Mrs Jordan's Profession, Penguin 2012, p. 220
Synonyms
behest, bidding, command, commandment, decree, demand, dictate, diktat, directive, direction, edict, fiat, hest, injunction, instruction, irade, mandate, order, precept, ruling, ukase
Derived terms
30 termsat command, c-command, command and control, command and service module, command hierarchy, commandless, commandlet, command line interface, command-line interface, command-line interpreter, command paper, command pattern, command processing overhead time, command responsibility, commandwide, countercommand, cybercommand, divine command theory, in command, metacommand, miscommand, multicommand, on command, pilot in command, second-in-command, subcommand, take command, telecommand, voice command, Wernicke's command
Related terms
commend, mandate, manipulation, manual, manufacture, manuscript, recommend, imperative mood, law, obey, disobey, compulsory

command

verb

Etymology From Middle English commanden, commaunden, comaunden, comanden, from Old French comander, from Late Latin commandāre, from Latin commendāre. Ultimately from Latin com- + mandō (whence ultimately also commend (a doublet), mandate, and recommend), from manus + -dō. Compare typologically Russian поручи́ть (poručítʹ), поруче́ние (poručénije), руководи́ть (rukovodítʹ), руководи́тель (rukovodítelʹ) related to рука́ (ruká).

8 senses
  1. 1To order, give orders; to compel or direct with authority.
  2. 2To have or exercise supreme power, control or authority…
  3. 3To require with authority; to demand, order, enjoin.
  4. 4to dominate through ability, resources, position etc.…
  5. 5To exact, compel or secure by influence; to deserve, claim.
  6. 6To hold, to control the use of.
  7. 7To have a view (of), as from a superior position.
  8. 8To direct to come; to bestow.
1

Ambitransitive To order, give orders; to compel or direct with authority.

  • The soldier was commanded to cease firing.
  • The king commanded his servant to bring him dinner.
2 more examples
  • We are commanded to forgive our enemies, but you never read that we are commanded to forgive our friends.1625, Francis [Bacon], “Of Revenge”, in The Essayes […], 3rd edition, London: […] Iohn Haviland for Hanna Barret, →OCLC:
  • Go to your mistress: / Say, I command her come to me.c. 1590–1592 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Taming of the Shrew”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene ii]:
2

Ambitransitive To have or exercise supreme power, control or authority over, especially military; to have under direction or control.

  • to command an army or a ship
  • Monmouth commanded the English auxiliaries.1849–1861, Thomas Babington Macaulay, chapter II, in The History of England from the Accession of James the Second, volume (please specify |volume=I to V), London: Longman, Brown, Green, and Longmans, →OCLC:
1 more example
  • Such aid as I can spare you shall command.1591 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Second Part of Henry the Sixt, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies. […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene v]:
3

To require with authority; to demand, order, enjoin.

  • he commanded silence
  • If thou be the son of God, command that these stones be made bread.1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Matthew 4:3:
1 more example
  • The reasons for this growing disconnect are myriad and complex but the situation is exacerbated by the reality that those English players who do smash through our game's "glass ceiling" command radically inflated transfer fees.2013 August 20, Louise Taylor, The Guardian:
4

to dominate through ability, resources, position etc.; to overlook.

  • Bridges commanded by a fortified house. (Motley.)
  • This observation deck commands a breathtaking view of San Francisco Bay.
5

To exact, compel or secure by influence; to deserve, claim.

  • A good magistrate commands the respect and affections of the people.
  • Justice commands the respect and affections of the people.
3 more examples
  • The best goods command the best price.
  • This job commands a salary of £30,000.
  • Was the family prostrated by grief? Was the sorrow at Mrs. Inglethorp’s death so great? I realized that there was an emotional lack in the atmosphere. The dead woman had not the gift of commanding love. Her death was a shock and a distress, but she would not be passionately regretted.1920, Agatha Christie, The Mysterious Affair at Styles, London: Pan Books, published 1954, page 36:
6

To hold, to control the use of.

  • The fort commanded the bay.
  • Two wooden bridges led across the river; each was commanded by a fortified house1856, John Lothrop Motley, The Rise of the Dutch Republic. A History. […], volume (please specify |volume=I to III), New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers, […], →OCLC:
3 more examples
  • Up to the eastern tower, / Whose height commands as subject all the vale.c. 1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Troylus and Cressida”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene ii]:
  • December 1699, Joseph Addison, letter to William Congreve One [side] commands a view of the finest garden.
  • […] they made considerable progress in the art of embalming the wild fruits of their native land, so that they might command cranberries and hindberries at all times and seasons.1834, The Hobart Town Magazine, volume 2, page 323:
7

Ambitransitive, Archaic To have a view (of), as from a superior position.

  • Farr and wide his eye commands.1667, John Milton, “Book III”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC:
  • I pulled in hand over hand on the cord, and when I judged myself near enough, rose at infinite risk to about half my height and thus commanded the roof and a slice of the interior of the cabin.1881–1882, Robert Louis Stevenson, Treasure Island, London; Paris: Cassell & Company, published 14 November 1883, →OCLC:
1 more example
  • Snowsheds and snow fences protect the line on either side of Semskfjell, but the country soon begins to lose some of its bleakness, and the tree line is regained at Lønsdal (1,680 ft. above sea-level), where the line is high on a hillside, commanding widespread views of the mountains.1957 August 23, H. A. Vallance, “By Rail to the Norwegian Arctic”, in Railway Magazine, page 575:
8

Obsolete To direct to come; to bestow.

  • I will command my blessing upon you.1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Leviticus 25:21:
Synonyms
decree, order, enjoin
Derived terms
chain of command, commandability, commandable, command economy, commandeer, commander, commandery, command guidance, commanding, commandism, Command key, command language, command line, commandment, command module, command performance, command post, countercommand, high command, second in command, self-command, trains command, your wish is my command

Entry derived from the Wiktionary, under licence CC BY-SA 4.0 — list of authors.

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