command Hear it!

command Definition

com·mand (kə mand′, -mänd′)

transitive verb

  1. to give an order or orders to; direct with authority
  2. to have authority or jurisdiction over; control
  3. to have ready for use to command a large vocabulary
  4. to deserve and get; require as due, proper, or becoming to command respect
  5. to control or overlook from a higher position the fort commands the entire valley
  6. Obsolete to demand authoritatively

Etymology: ME commanden < OFr comander < VL *commandare < L com-, intens. + mandare, to commit, entrust: see mandate

intransitive verb

  1. to exercise power or authority; be in control; act as a commander
  2. to overlook, as from a height

noun

  1. the act of commanding
  2. an order; direction; mandate
  3. authority to command
  4. power to control or dominate by position
  5. range of view
  6. ability to have and use; mastery
    1. a military or naval force, organization, or district, under a specified authority or jurisdiction
    2. air command
  8. the post where the person in command is stationed
  9. Comput.
    1. a request entered on a terminal to have a particular function performed
    2. instruction (sense )
command Synonyms

command

n.

  1. An order

    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.

    Antonyms countermand, revocation, retraction.

  2. The power to issue orders

    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

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

  4. An area or group subject to orders

    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 syn. study at power.

command Synonyms

command

v.

  1. To issue an order

    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.

    Antonyms obey*, submit*, follow. *

  2. To have control

    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.

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

command Usage Examples

Object

  • battalion: He commanded three battalions in the area of the new pro-American army.
  • respect: Property of all kinds making for human comfort commands the respect of all men.
  • regiment: Orders in No 5. Officers commanding regiments to obtain stocks for their men.
  • assent: But the elders of the church were expected to choose bishops who could command the general assent and respect of the congregation.

Converse of object

  • execute: For instance, a newline will terminate the search and accept the line, thereby executing the command from the history list.
  • obey: It is a question of obeying the command of Scripture.
  • assume: They began the counter-offensive against the Poles under General Erich von dem Bach who assumed command of all German forces suppressing the Uprising.
  • invoke: Safe interpreters are not allowed to invoke hidden commands in themselves or in their descendants.
  • follow: At the command prompt, type the following command to modify the configuration file.

Adjective modifier

  • builtin: Only shell builtin commands or commands found by searching the PATH are executed.
  • at: You can also find info on AT commands on the Internet.
  • combatant: There was general agreement that this mission would be assigned to one of the Department's nine Combatant Commands.
  • built-in: Displaying GIF and JPEG images The built-in *DISPLAY command will only display images in Windows Bitmap ( .BMP ) format.

Modifies a noun

  • line: Word: Startup Switches Passing command line switches via the shortcut or command prompt allow you to control how Word starts up.
  • argument: Note that the sed edit script, introduced by the sed command line argument -e spreads over two lines.
  • syntax: The command syntax and principles you learn are applicable to almost all Cisco routers and switches because most Cisco devices run common IOS software.

Noun used with modifier

  • shell: The shell executes the second line as a normal shell command, and thus starts up the Perl interpreter.
  • unix: It is easy to extract data from the raw text output, using unix commands like grep and awk.

Preposition: of

  • brigade: I had an idea that I should get command of a brigade or something of the kind.
  • regiment: On the 24th July Major Thomas William Sneyd was promoted Lt Colonel and succeeded Lt Colonel Steward in command of the regiment.
command Quotes

Love shall come at your command Yet will not stay.

—Graves, Robert von Ranke

The basic command of religion is not 'do this!'or 'do not do that!' but simply 'look!'

—Toynbee, (Theodore) Philip

We make this wide encircling movement in the Mediterranean, having for its primary object the recovery of the command of that vital sea, but also having for its object the exposure of the under-belly of the Axis, especially Italy, to heavyattack.

—Churchill, Lord Randolph Henry Spencer

Continentiam iubes; da quod iubes et iube quod vis. You command continence; give what youcommand and command what you will.

—St Augustine originally Aurelius Augustinus

For thou wert still the poor man's stay, The poor man's heart, the poor man's hand; And all the oppressed, who wanted strength, Had thine at their command.

—Wordsworth,William

That singular command, I do not understand, Bless what there is for being, What else am I for, Agreeing or disagreeing?

—Auden,W(ystan) H(ugh)

The command 'Thou shalt not kill'must be binding on the conscience of humanity if the terrible tragedy and destiny of Cain is not to be repeated.

—PopeJohn Paul II originally Karol Jozef Wojtyla

Then Israel's monarch, after Heaven's own heart, His vigorous warmth did, variously, impart To wives and slaves: and, wide as his command, Scattered his Maker's image through the land.

—Dryden,John

O impotence of mind, in body strong! But what is strength without a double share Of wisdom, vast, unwieldy, burdensome, Proudly secure, yet liable to fall By weakest subtleties, not made to rule, But to subserve where wisdom bears command.

—Milton,John