standing order

American  

noun

1. Military. (formerly) a general order always in force in a command and establishing uniform procedures for it; standard operating procedure.

2. Parliamentary Procedure. standing orders, the rules ensuring continuity of procedure during the meetings of an assembly.

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standing order British  

noun

1. Also called: banker's order.  an instruction to a bank by a depositor to pay a stated sum at regular intervals Compare direct debit

2. a rule or order governing the procedure, conduct, etc, of a legislative body

3. military one of a number of orders which have or are likely to have long-term validity

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standing order Idioms  

1. A regulation that is in force until it is specifically changed or withdrawn, as in The waiters have standing orders to fill all glasses as they are emptied. This idiom began life in the mid-1600s as standing rule; the word order began to be used about 1800 for such military orders and gradually was extended to other areas.

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Etymology

Origin of standing order

First recorded in 1730–40

Example Sentences

He is also accused of violating the court’s standing order, effective Jan. 28, 2025, that requires attorneys disclose any use of generative AI when submitting filings.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 14, 2026

Both versions of the standing order say that any injunctions authorized by them are only good “until 4:00 p.m. on the second business day following the filing of the Petition.”

From Slate • Jun. 26, 2025

The company also offers a 2% discount for customers paying by standing order, it said.

From BBC • Jun. 14, 2025

“I appreciate the work put into the standing order proposal that the committee is considering, but I’m going to oppose going that route at this particular moment,” he said.

From Washington Times • Nov. 14, 2023

“And can you make this a standing order? I need pizzas every day—or every school day.”

From "Millionaires for the Month" by Stacey McAnulty