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View synonyms for ordain

ordain

[ awr-deyn ]

verb (used with object)

  1. to invest with ministerial, priestly, or rabbinical functions.
  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.

    Synonyms: determine, prescribe, order

  4. (of God, fate, etc.) to destine or predestine:

    Fate had ordained the meeting.

    Synonyms: predetermine



verb (used without object)

  1. to order or command:

    Thus do the gods ordain.

  2. to select for or appoint to an office.
  3. to invest someone with sacerdotal functions.

ordain

/ ɔːˈdeɪn /

verb

  1. to consecrate (someone) as a priest; confer holy orders upon
  2. may take a clause as object to decree, appoint, or predestine irrevocably
  3. may take a clause as object to order, establish, or enact with authority
  4. obsolete.
    to select for an office
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012


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Derived Forms

  • orˈdainment, noun
  • orˈdainer, noun
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Other Words From

  • or·dain·a·ble adjective
  • or·dain·er noun
  • or·dain·ment noun
  • re·or·dain verb (used with object)
  • self-or·dain·er noun
  • su·per·or·dain verb (used without object)
  • un·or·dain·a·ble adjective
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Word History and Origins

Origin of ordain1

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English ordeinen, from Old French ordener, from Latin ordināre “to order, arrange, appoint”; ordination
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Word History and Origins

Origin of ordain1

C13: from Anglo-Norman ordeiner, from Late Latin ordināre, from Latin ordo order
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Example Sentences

According to its ideology, the revolution was a means for Shia clergy to prepare for the long-awaited return of the Twelfth divinely ordained Shia Imam and descendant of the Prophet Muhammad.

From Time

My belief is that come September, we will see that the belief that inflation was ordained is completely incorrect, because debt generated by fiscal policy is inherently disinflationary or deflationary.

That whole journey was about 10 years of going away and training to become a monk and then train as a novice monk and eventually becoming a fully ordained monk.

From Ozy

To Schlafly and her allies then, the military reflected a God-ordained, natural balance, and the ERA threatened to upend it.

The Mandarin word yuánfèn, 缘分, refers to a relationship ordained by fate or destiny.

From Ozy

And no religious denomination should be forced to ordain gays or women as priests, right?

The letter also ordered her to “take down www.ordainwomen.org and disassociat[e] yourself from Ordain Women.”

Kate Kelly, the leader of Ordain Women, was officially excommunicated.

The Ordain Women website posted some of Harrison's email to Kelly informing her of her excommunication.

Among other things, Weiss had the beautiful chutzpah to ordain Orthodox women.

They say they ordain and establish it; we do not speak of ordaining leagues and compacts.

It is very proper to say, too, I suppose, that it is an imposition when the bishops ordain the ministers?

The bishops will ordain no persons whose names have not been submitted to the Government and approved by it.

"The deities ordain and the balance weighs; your reward will be the greater," replied Ten-teh.

The government they aimed at was not democracy, but theocracy: "God never did ordain democracy as a fit government," said Cotton.

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