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command

[kuh-mand, -mahnd]

verb (used with object)

to direct with specific authority or prerogative; order: The captain commanded his men to attack.

to require authoritatively; demand: She commanded silence.

to have or exercise authority or control over; be master of; have at one's bidding or disposal: The Pharaoh commanded 10,000 slaves.

to deserve and receive (respect, sympathy, attention, etc.): He commands much respect for his attitude.

to dominate by reason of location; overlook: The hill commands the sea.

EXPAND

to have authority over and responsibility for (a military or naval unit or installation); be in charge of.

COLLAPSE

verb (used without object)

to issue an order or orders.

to be in charge; have authority.

to occupy a dominating position; look down upon or over a body of water, region, etc.

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Command is one of our favorite verbs.

So is peculate. Does it mean:

to steal or take dishonestly (money, esp. public funds, or property entrusted to one's care); embezzle.

to swindle, cheat, hoodwink, or hoax.

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noun

10.

the act of commanding or ordering.

11.

an order given by one in authority: The colonel gave the command to attack.

12.

Military.

an order in prescribed words, usually given in a loud voice to troops at close-order drill: The command was “Right shoulder arms!”

the order of execution or the second part of any two-part close-order drill command, as face in Right face!

(initial capital letter) a principal component of the U.S. Air force: Strategic Air Command.

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.

EXPAND

15.

British. 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.

an electric impulse, signal, or set of signals for initiating an operation in a computer.

a character, symbol, or item of information for instructing a computer to perform a specific task.

a single instruction.

COLLAPSE

adjective

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.

Origin:
1250–1300; (v.) Middle English coma(u)nden < Anglo-French com(m)a(u)nder, Old French comander < Medieval Latin commandāre, equivalent to Latin com- com- + mandāre to entrust, order (compare commend); (noun) late Middle English comma(u)nde < Anglo-French, Old French, noun derivative of the v.

Related forms

command·a·ble, adjective

pre·com·mand, noun, verb

un·com·mand·ed, adjective

well-com·mand·ed, adjective

Synonyms
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.

Antonyms
1, 7. obey.

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
Cite This Source

Link To command

Example Sentences

Still, the new command structure seemed rife with potential for conflict.

There are lots of tasks that can be handled quickly by using the command line.

China's great railway bonanza owes much to the old style of command and control.

EXPAND

Still, the new command structure seemed rife with potential for conflict.

There are lots of tasks that can be handled quickly by using the command line.

China's great railway bonanza owes much to the old style of command and control.

The implication is that the brain only has to send a single move command to the arm, and the arm will do the rest.

Guys can lower their brain activity in hunger regions on command.

Vintage teddies command prices well into six figures at auction houses.

You'll have a private beach, canoes, and kayaks at your command.

Before you change anything, run this command and look at the output number.

The second in command has more duties and influence than ever before.

Military command and control for the hotel industry.

Nagumo was seen as a man of action rather than introspection, happier at sea in command than in a staff job ashore.

Have the courage to pay a debt, while you have the money at command.

Today it continues to command esteem among players and nonplayers all over the world.

Government-funded researchers are building a flashlight that makes people puke on command.

Most major universities and business schools stress globalization and train their elite students to command that future.

But the funds have emerged in search of the yields that lending in highly leveraged transactions can command.

During such times, the city's populace gathered at the observatory to watch as their king appeared to command the heavens.

Satellite operators put off critical command sequences.

Soldiers no longer careered with abandon through city streets in cars bearing the red license plates of the military command.

The military is organized around authority and command and is dedicated to the professional application of violence.

Then the pilot in command can communicate with the ground to get verification where the air marshals are seated and who they are.

Although this case is unique, it helps illustrate why these graceful creatures command extreme caution and respect.

Broadly speaking, the resets were related to power glitches in the spacecraft's command and data-handling subsystem.

ProfHacker is starting a sweet-looking series of articles about using the command line interface.

The business cycle almost resists political command.

Wind turbines also command relatively high upfront costs.

Weinberg excluded lateral senior-faculty hires because such people are usually stars who can command impressive paychecks.

It has no clear structure or evident chain of command.

To look beautiful and support the chief in his effort to command respect from other tribes.

Something remarkable is happening among undergraduates that should command our attention.

In the academic world, nobody can expect to prosper without a good command of engelsk.

All this makes for a short drive dense in attractions and rich enough to command three days of sightseeing.

When you learn to program a computer, you acquire a superpower: the ability to make an inanimate object follow your command.

The national army is little more than a collection of militias and obeys no central command.

Some go so far as to believe that the bride will be in command of the married life if her groom is unable to find it.

In instances where this is not the case, you have to be more persistent or go up the chain of command.

The first post tried to explain why you might want to use the command line in the first.

It seems to command people to get out of their houses and explore the natural wonders of this world.

Something about being able to command an ever-increasing fleet against an unseen enemy sent chills down.

The past decade has seen nothing less than a revolution in the command centres of capitalism: corporate boardrooms.

For example, elephants in the crush are taught to raise their feet on command so owners can easily move them.

But nothing about the future command structure has been settled.

As with other command line tools, it takes some effort to learn what to type at the blinking cursor.

With the t-test, you can write a simple command to get the p-value.

But medals awarded to winners command much higher prices.

His expressive voice adds to the spectrum of musical elements at his command.

It is usually better to rely on incentives and imagination than fall back on command and control.

Video-gaming armchair generals will soon get the same leadership and command training as combat-ready infantrymen.

Very hierarchical management structure with the idea that you always follow the chain of command and respect elders.

For the first time, therefore, the tribes command the national stage.

We often hear of those that live in the high towers and those who command great power.

It is not, in any sense of the word, a joint command.

At the moment the command was given for the caravan to move out, thunder rumbled ominously from the west.

Or using environment cues to get me to jump at their command.

One of the best ways that a college can command a better price is by offering unique programs that are in demand, he said.

And even new drugs can no longer reliably command the huge premiums they once did.

These things would scurry around on the bottom and blow themselves up on command whenever they find a mine.

Tapping the screen brings up command menus when desired.

Only at the end of the book does he command the space he deserves.

Start looking here on earth at those places that command excellence.

Rare or well-preserved antique bultos and retablos command the highest prices at auctions and galleries.

For example, you need to be in command of both the material and the.

How thoroughly the soldiers carried out this command is a mystery.

One ethnic group writing and postulating about another will certainly command academic attention.

My cats have even performed tricks such as fetching toys and jumping on command.

For example, it will come as no shock that a market researcher must have a strong command of statistics.

Such a model may command attention if more education is offered without more tuition.

Making anonymous accusatory phone calls or spreading hearsay up a chain of command is not an honorable thing to do.

Try to defuse the situation as best you can, without bothering those further up on the chain of command.

Depend on yourself and the resources you can command.

They will be obeying sane orders that have come sanely down the chain of command.

COLLAPSE

Collins

World English Dictionary

command (kəˈmɑːnd)

—vb
1.	(when tr, may take a clause as object or an infinitive) to order, require, or compel
2.	to have or be in control or authority over (a person, situation, etc)
3.	(tr) to have knowledge or use of: he commands the language
4.	(tr) to receive as due or because of merit: his nature commands respect
5.	to dominate (a view, etc) as from a height

—n
6.	an order; mandate
7.	the act of commanding
8.	the power or right to command
9.	the exercise of the power to command
10.	ability or knowledge; control: a command of French
11.	chiefly military the jurisdiction of a commander
12.	a military unit or units commanding a specific area or function, as in the RAF
13.	(Brit)
	a. an invitation from the monarch
	b. (as modifier): a command performance
14.	computing a word or phrase that can be selected from a menu or typed after a prompt in order to carry out an action

[C13: from Old French commander, from Latin com- (intensive) + mandāre to entrust, enjoin, command]

Command (kəˈmɑːnd)

—n
	any of the three main branches of the Canadian military forces: Air Command

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline

Word Origin & History

command

c.1300, from O.Fr. comander "to order, enjoin," from V.L. *commandare, from L. commendare "to recommend" (see commend), alt. by influence of L. mandare "to commit, entrust" (see mandate). Replaced O.E. bebeodan. The noun is attested from 1550s. Commander in chief attested from 1650s.

FOLDOC

Computing Dictionary

command definition

operating system
A character string which tells a program to perform a specific action. Most commands take arguments which either modify the action performed or supply it with input. Commands may be typed by the user or read from a file by a command interpreter. It is also common to refer to menu items as commands.
(1997-06-21)

American Heritage

Idioms & Phrases

command

In addition to the idiom beginning with command, also see have a good command.

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Idioms & Phrases

command

have a good command

Matching Quote

"Children from humble families must be taught how to command just as other children must be taught how to obey."

-Friedrich Nietzsche

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