[awr-deyn] 
| 1. | to invest with ministerial or sacerdotal functions; confer holy orders upon. |
| 2. | to enact or establish by law, edict, etc.: to ordain a new type of government. |
| 3. | to decree; give orders for: He ordained that the restrictions were to be lifted. |
| 4. | (of God, fate, etc.) to destine or predestine: Fate had ordained the meeting. |
| 5. | to order or command: Thus do the gods ordain. |
| 6. | to select for or appoint to an office. |
| 7. | to invest someone with sacerdotal functions. |
| or·dain (ôr-dān') tr.v. or·dained, or·dain·ing, or·dains
[Middle English ordeinen, from Old French ordener, ordein-, from Latin ōrdināre, to organize, appoint to office, from ōrdō, ōrdin-, order; see ar- in Indo-European roots.] or·dain'er n., or·dain'ment n. |
