command

[kuh-mand, -mahnd]

verb (used with object)

1. to direct with specific authority or prerogative; order.

   The captain commanded his men to attack.

   Synonyms: prescribe, order, instruct, enjoin, direct, charge, bid
   Antonyms: obey

2. to require authoritatively; demand.

   She commanded silence.

3. to have or exercise authority or control over; be master of; have at one's bidding or disposal.

   The Pharaoh commanded 10,000 slaves.

   Synonyms: oversee, manage, rule, lead, govern, control

4. to deserve and receive (respect, sympathy, attention, etc.).

   He commands much respect for his attitude.

   Synonyms: exact, claim, compel

5. to dominate by reason of location; overlook.

   The hill commands the sea.

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

verb (used without object)

1. to issue an order or orders.

2. to be in charge; have authority.

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

noun

1. the act of commanding or ordering.

   Synonyms: injunction, bidding, direction, instruction, mandate, charge

2. an order given by one in authority.

   The colonel gave the command to attack.

3. Military.

   1. an order in prescribed words, usually given in a loud voice to troops at close-order drill.

      The command was “Right shoulder arms!”

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

   3. Command, a principal component of the U.S. Air Force.

      Strategic Air Command.

   4. a body of troops or a station, ship, etc., under a commander.

4. the possession or exercise of controlling authority.

   a lieutenant in command of a platoon.

   Synonyms: understanding, knowledge, grasp, comprehension, proficiency, domination, sway, ascendancy, control, charge, authority

5. mastery; expertise.

   He has a command of French, Russian, and German.

6. British.,  a royal order.

7. power of dominating a region by reason of location; extent of view or outlook.

   the command of the valley from the hill.

8. Computers.

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

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

   3. a single instruction.

adjective

1. of, relating to, or for use in the exercise of command: command post.

   a command car;

   command post.

2. of or relating to a commander.

   a command decision.

3. ordered by a sovereign, as if by a sovereign, or by the exigencies of a situation.

   a command performance.

command

¹

/ kəˈmɑːnd /

verb

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

noun

1. an order; mandate

2. the act of commanding

3. the power or right to command

4. the exercise of the power to command

5. ability or knowledge; control

   a command of French

6. military the jurisdiction of a commander

7. a military unit or units commanding a specific area or function, as in the RAF

8. 1. an invitation from the monarch

   2. ( as modifier )

      a command performance

9. computing a word or phrase that can be selected from a menu or typed after a prompt in order to carry out an action

Command

²

/ kəˈmɑːnd /

noun

1. any of the three main branches of the Canadian military forces

   Air Command

Other Word Forms

• commandable adjective
• precommand noun
• uncommanded adjective
• well-commanded adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of command¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; (verb) Middle English coma(u)nden, from Anglo-French com(m)a(u)nder, Old French comander, from Medieval Latin commandāre, equivalent to Latin com- com- + mandāre “to entrust, order” ( commend ); (noun) late Middle English comma(u)nde, from Anglo-French, Old French; the noun is derivative of the verb

Word History and Origins

Origin of command¹

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

Idioms and Phrases

• have a good command

Synonym Study

See direct. See rule.

Example Sentences

Furthermore, a commanding lead in patents and strict export controls on processing technology solidify efforts by Beijing to prevent know-how from leaving the country.

Read more on Barron's

Our goal was to prevent conflict, preserve national cohesion, and bring all armed formations under one lawful command.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

As good as Teller is as a husband in crisis, the Oscar-winning Randolph is her own commanding source of light, enough to sell this movie’s feel-good abstracts and wry commentaries on her own.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

The moves highlight Google’s emerging presence in the AI semiconductor space, where Nvidia maintains a commanding lead in terms of market share thanks to cutting-edge systems and software that remain the benchmark for computing performance.

Read more on Barron's

Coast Guard, which took over command of the incident as the boat was moved into its jurisdiction.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• ability 
• authority 
• control 
• expertise 
• government 
• grasp 
• jurisdiction 
• leadership 
• management 
• skill 
• supervision