985
ordinance
tropical plant with) an often big bright flower divided into
three parts of which the middle one is the largest and like a
lip
or·dain /ɔːˈdeɪn||ɔːr-/ v [T] 1 to make (someone) a priest or
religious leader: He was ordained in 1984. | [+obj+n] She was
ordained the first woman priest of her church. → see also
Cultural Note at ORDINATION 2 [+that·obj] (of God, the law
etc) to order; DECREE
or·deal /ɔːˈdiːl, ˈɔːdiːl||ɔːrˈdiːl, ˈɔːrdiːl/ n a difficult or pain-
ful experience: The parents went through a terrible ordeal
when their child was kidnapped.
or·der¹ /ˈɔːdəʳ||ˈɔr-/ n 1 [U] the special way in which a
group of people, objects etc are put on a list or arranged in
connection with each other; SEQUENCE: The words in a
dictionary are shown in alphabetical order. | The items are
listed in order of importance. | in chronological order 2 [U]
the state in which things are carefully arranged in their
proper place; neatness: Just give me five minutes to put my
desk in order. | (fig.) He put his business affairs in order before
he died. → opposite DISORDER 3 [U] fitness for use or
operation: The telephone's out of order. (=does not work) |
This car is in good working/running order. 4 [U] the condi-
tion in which laws and rules are obeyed: That young teacher
can't keep order in her classroom. | The chairman called him
to order at the meeting. (=told him to stop disobeying the
rules) | Order! Order! (=stop breaking the rules of the
meeting) | Your question is out of order. (=against the rules)
→ see also POINT OF ORDER, law and order (LAW), in order
(ORDER¹) 5 [C] also orders pl. — a command or direction,
given by a person who has the right to command: You must
obey my orders. | [+to-v/that] I have orders (=I have been
commanded) to search your room/that your room must be
searched. | The general gave the order to advance. | I'm here by
order of the general. | The ship left under orders to sail to the
Pacific. (=having been commanded to do this) | (infml) Take
your medicine: it's doctor's orders. 6 [C(for)] a request (espe-
cially by a customer) to supply goods: We placed (=made) an
order for a newspaper to be delivered daily. | 'Shall I take your
orders now?' asked the waiter. → see also MAIL ORDER, SIDE
ORDER, on order, to order (ORDER¹) 7 [C] the goods supplied
in accordance with such a request: He collected his order from
the shop. 8 [C] a written or printed paper which allows the
holder to do something, e.g. to be paid money → see also
MONEY ORDER, POSTAL ORDER 9 [C+sing./pl. v (often cap. as part
of a name)] a) a society of people who lead a holy life according
to a particular set of religious rules: an order of monks/
nuns b) a (secret) society of people who allow others to join
them through an INITIATION ceremony: a Masonic order | the
Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks → see also
ORDERS 10 [the][C(of)] (often cap. as part of a name) a) a group of
people who have received any of several special honours
given by a king, queen etc for service, bravery etc: a member
of the Order of the Garter b) a piece of metal, silk etc, worn
to show that one belongs to such a group: wearing his
orders 11 [C] fml a kind; sort: intelligence of the highest
order 12 [C usually sing.] fml the way things usually happen at
a particular time in history: the present economic
order 13 [C] also orders pl. — a special group or rank in
a society: the military order | (now rare or humor) the lower orders
(=workers, servants etc) 14 [U] the stated kind of clothing
worn or equipment carried, or the stated arrangement of
soldiers, machines etc: troops in full marching order | The
aircraft flew in close order. (=with little space between
them) 15 [C] tech a division of animals or plants (or lan-
guages), below a CLASS and above a FAMILY 16 [C] tech a
division of any group of things: Greek pillars of the Doric
and Ionic orders 17 in order fml acceptable; properly
arranged or according to accepted rules: It'll be quite in order
for you to speak now. | Is your passport in order? 18 in order
that fml so that: He sold it in order that we might live more
comfortably. 19 in order to with the purpose or intention
of; so that one may: He stood on a chair in order to reach the
top shelf. | I sent the plans in order for you to study them fully
before the meeting. 20 last orders BrE the phrase used in
PUBS to warn people that the pub is about to close and
people should order their last drinks 21 of/in the order of
BrE || on the order of AmE — about; about as much or as many
as: Her income is of the order of £17,000 a year. 22 only
obeying orders a phrase used by many German soldiers
charged with WAR CRIMES after the Second World War. They
defended their actions by saying that they had no choice
because they were 'only obeying orders'. 23 on order asked
for from the maker or supplier but not yet supplied: The
textbook you require is temporarily out of stock, but it's on
order. 24 out of order a) not working properly b) not in
accordance with the rules of a parliament, court, or similar
body c) slang behaving in a wrong or unacceptable
way 25 to order made to fit a particular person's body or
according to the exact needs of a particular person: We
supply handmade shoes to order. → see also COURT ORDER,
MARCHING ORDERS, STANDING ORDER, TALL ORDER, call to
order (CALL¹)
order² v 1 [T] to give an order (to' or for); command: The
general ordered an attack. | [+that] He ordered that the men
(should) fire the guns/that the guns (should) be fired. |
[+obj+to-v] The doctor ordered her patient to take a month's
rest. | If you make any more noise I shall order you (=com-
mand you to go) out of the room. 2 [I,T(for)] to ask for
(something) to be brought, made etc, in return for payment:
'Have you ordered yet, Madam?' asked the waiter. | I've ordered
new curtains for the bedroom. | Don't forget to order a taxi. |
I've ordered a beer for you. | [+obj(i)+obj(d)] I've ordered you a
beer. 3 [T] to arrange; put in order: Take time to order your
thoughts before you write the essay. | a well-ordered existence
People whose position gives them a right to be
obeyed can order or give orders, but command is
usually used only in a military sense: The doctor ordered
me to rest for a week. | The general
ordered/commanded his men to advance.
order sbdy. about/around phr v [T] to annoy (someone) by
giving many orders, especially unpleasantly; BOSS about: His
big brother is always ordering him about.
'order book n BrE (a book in which are written) all the orders
which remain to be dealt with by a particular company etc:
Order books in the shipping industry remain generally much
below normal.
or·der·ly¹ /ˈɔdəli||ˈɔːrdərli/ adj 1 well-arranged: an orderly
office 2 loving good arrangement; of a tidy nature and
habits 3 peaceful and well-behaved: an orderly crowd →
opposite DISORDERLY —liness n [U]
orderly² n 1 a person who helps in a hospital, usually
without special professional training 2 a soldier who
attends an officer
Order of 'Merit, the abbrev. OM a special honour given to
British people who have done something unusually good in
military or CIVILIAN life. Only 24 people have the Order of
Merit at any one time. → compare COMPANION OF HONOUR
Order of the 'Bath, the a group of British people who
have been given a special title of honour for their achieve-
ments. Members of the Order of the Bath have the title 'Sir'
(for a man) or 'Dame' (for a woman), and it is regarded as a
very special honour.
Order of the 'Garter, the a group of 24 British men who
have been given a special title of honour for their achieve-
ments. Members of the Order of the Garter have the title 'Sir',
and, together with the Order of the Thistle, it is the highest
level of KNIGHTHOOD.
Order of the 'Thistle, the a group of 16 Scottish men
who have been given a special title of honour for their
achievements. Members of the Order of the Thistle have the
title 'Sir', and, together with the Order of the Garter, it is the
highest level of KNIGHTHOOD.
'order paper n a list of what is to be talked about, especially
in the British parliament
or·ders /ˈɔːdəz||ˈɔːrdərz/ n [P] tech the state of being a priest
or other person permitted to perform Christian services and
duties: He took holy orders. (=became a priest)
or·di·nal¹ /ˈɔːdɪnəl||ˈɔːrdənəl/ adj showing position in a set
of numbers
ordinal² also ,ordinal 'number n one of the numbers (1st,
2nd, 3rd etc) that show order rather than quantity →
compare CARDINAL NUMBER
or·di·nance /ˈɔdɪnəns||ˈɔːrdənəns/ n fml 1 an order given