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Webster 1913 Edition

Command

Com-mand′

(?; 61)
,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Commanded
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Commanding
.]
[OE.
comaunden
,
commanden
, OF.
comander
, F.
commander
, fr. L.
com-
+
mandare
to commit to, to command. Cf.
Commend
,
Mandate
.]
1.
To order with authority; to lay injunction upon; to direct; to bid; to charge.
We are
commanded
to forgive our enemies, but you never read that we are
commanded
to forgive our friends.
Bacon.
Go to your mistress:
Say, I
command
her come to me.
Shakespeare
2.
To exercise direct authority over; to have control of; to have at one’s disposal; to lead.
Monmouth
commanded
the English auxiliaries.
Macaulay.
Such aid as I can spare you shall
command
.
Shakespeare
3.
To have within a sphere of control, influence, access, or vision; to dominate by position; to guard; to overlook.
Bridges
commanded
by a fortified house.
Motley.
Up to the eastern tower,
Whose height
commands
as subject all the vale.
Shakespeare
One side
commands
a view of the finest garden.
Addison.
4.
To have power or influence of the nature of authority over; to obtain as if by ordering; to receive as a due; to challenge; to claim;
as, justice
commands
the respect and affections of the people; the best goods
command
the best price
.
'Tis not in mortals to
command
success.
Addison.
5.
To direct to come; to bestow.
[Obs.]
Syn. – To bid; order; direct; dictate; charge; govern; rule; overlook.

Com-mand′

,
Verb.
I.
1.
To have or to exercise direct authority; to govern; to sway; to influence; to give an order or orders.
And reigned,
commanding
in his monarchy.
Shakespeare
For the king had so
commanded
concerning [Haman].
Esth. iii. 2.
2.
To have a view, as from a superior position.
Far and wide his eye
commands
.
Milton.

Com-mand′

,
Noun.
1.
An authoritative order requiring obedience; a mandate; an injunction.
Awaiting what
command
their mighty chief
Had to impose.
Milton.
2.
The possession or exercise of authority.
Command
and force may often create, but can never cure, an aversion.
Locke.
3.
Authority; power or right of control; leadership;
as, the forces under his
command
.
4.
Power to dominate, command, or overlook by means of position; scope of vision; survey.
The steepy stand
Which overlooks the vale with wide
command
.
Dryden.
5.
Control; power over something; sway; influence;
as, to have
command
over one's temper or voice; the fort has
command
of the bridge
.
He assumed an absolute
command
over his readers.
Dryden.
6.
A body of troops, or any naval or military force or post, or the whole territory under the authority or control of a particular officer.
Syn. – Control; sway; power; authority; rule; dominion; sovereignty; mandate; order; injunction; charge; behest. See
Direction
.

Webster 1828 Edition

Command

COMMAND

, v.t.
1.
To bid; to order; to direct; to charge; implying authority, and power to control, and to require obedience.
We will sacrifice to the Lord our God, as he shall command us. Ex. 8.
I know that he [Abraham] will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord. Gen. 18.
2.
To govern, lead or direct; to have or to exercise supreme authority over.
Lord Wellington commanded an army in Spain; he commanded the army at the battle of Waterloo.
3.
To have in power; to be able to exercise power or authority over; as, a military post commands the surrounding country; a fort commands the harbor.
4.
To overlook, or have in the power of the eye, without obstruction.
One side commands a view of the finest garden in the world.
5.
To direct; to send.
The Lord shall command the blessing on thee. Deut. 28.
The Lord will command his loving kindness. Ps. 43.
6.
To have or to exercise a controlling influence over.
A good magistrate commands the respect and affections of the people.

COMMAND

,
Verb.
I.
To have or to exercise supreme authority; to possess the chief power; to govern; as, the general commands with dignity and humanity. What general commands in Canada?

COMMAND

, n.
1.
The right or power of governing with chief or exclusive authority; supreme power; control; as, an officer has a brigade under his command; he takes command of the army in France; an appropriate military term.
2.
The power of controlling; governing influence; sway.
He assumed an absolute command over his readers.
3.
Cogent or absolute authority.
Command and force may often create, but can never cure, an aversion.
4.
The act of commanding; the mandate uttered; order given.
The captain gives command.
5.
The power of overlooking, or surveying, without obstruction.
The steepy strand, Which overlooks the vale with wide command.
6.
The power of governing or controlling by force, or of defending and protecting.
The fortress has complete command of the port.
7.
That which is commanded control; as a body of troop under command.

Definition 2024

command

command

English

Noun

command ‎(plural commands)

  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
  3. power of control, direction or disposal; mastery.
    he had command of the situation
    England has long held command of the sea
    a good command of language
  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. (H. Spencer, Social Statics, p. 180)
  6. (military) 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.
  7. Dominating situation; range or control or oversight; extent of view or outlook.
  8. (computing) A directive to a computer program acting as an interpreter of some kind, in order to perform a specific task.
  9. (baseball) The degree of control a pitcher has over his pitches.
    He's got good command tonight.

Derived terms

  • control-command

Translations

References

Verb

command ‎(third-person singular simple present commands, present participle commanding, simple past and past participle commanded)

  1. (transitive) 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.
    • Francis Bacon
      We are commanded to forgive our enemies, but you never read that we are commanded to forgive our friends.
    • Shakespeare
      Go to your mistress: / Say, I command her come to me.
  2. (transitive) 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
    • Macaulay
      Monmouth commanded the English auxiliaries.
    • Shakespeare
      Such aid as I can spare you shall command.
  3. (transitive) 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. (Mat. IV. 3.)
    • 2013, Louise Taylor, English talent gets left behind as Premier League keeps importing (in The Guardian, 20 August 2013)
      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.
  4. (transitive) to dominate through ability, resources, position etc.; to overlook.
    Bridges commanded by a fortified house. (Motley.)
  5. (transitive) 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.
    The best goods command the best price.
    This job commands a salary of £30,000.
  6. (transitive) To hold, to control the use of.
    The fort commanded the bay.
    • Motley
      bridges commanded by a fortified house
    • William Shakespeare
      Up to the eastern tower, / Whose height commands as subject all the vale.
    • Addison
      One side commands a view of the finest garden.
    • 1834, The Hobart Town Magazine (volume 2, page 323)
      […] 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.
  7. (intransitive, archaic) To have a view, as from a superior position.
    • Milton
      Far and wide his eye commands.
  8. (obsolete) To direct to come; to bestow.
    • Bible, Leviticus xxv. 21
      I will command my blessing upon you.

Synonyms

Translations

Derived terms

References

Statistics

Most common English words before 1923: considerable · private · dinner · #769: command · etc. · broke · waiting

Etymology

From Old French comander (modern French commander), from Vulgar Latin *commandare, from Latin commendare, from com- + mandare, from mandō ‎(“I order, command”). Compare commend, mandate.

Pronunciation

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