command

A command is an order that you have to follow, as long as the person who gives it has authority over you. You don't have to comply with your friend's command that you give him all your money.

Command, which can be a noun or a verb, combines the Latin prefix com-, meaning "with," and mandāre, "to charge, enjoin," so to give someone a command is to say something with the authority that charges him to follow it. Your mother might command you to clean your room. Command can also mean a position of power, like having command of a battleship, or possession of a skill, like having a great command of video games.

Definitions of command

noun
an authoritative direction or instruction to do something

synonyms: bid, bidding, dictation

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types:
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countermand
a contrary command cancelling or reversing a previous command

order
(often plural) a command given by a superior (e.g., a military or law enforcement officer) that must be obeyed

charge, commission, direction, mandate
a formal statement of a command or injunction to do something

commandment
something that is commanded

injunction
a formal command or admonition

behest
an authoritative command or request

open sesame
a magical command; used by Ali Baba

marching orders
an order from a superior officer for troops to depart

summons
an order to appear in person at a given place and time

word
a verbal command for action

misdirection
an incorrect charge to a jury given by a judge

type of:
speech act
the use of language to perform some act
noun
the power or authority to command

“an admiral in command”

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type of:
authorisation, authority, authorization, dominance, potency, say-so
the power or right to give orders or make decisions
noun
a position of highest authority

“the corporation has just undergone a change in command”

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type of:
position, status
the relative position or standing of things or especially persons in a society
noun
availability for use

“the materials at the command of the potters grew”

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type of:
accessibility, availability, availableness, handiness
the quality of being at hand when needed
verb
be in command of

“The general commanded a huge army”

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types:
general
command as a general

officer
direct or command as an officer

type of:
dominate, master
have dominance or the power to defeat over
verb
make someone do something

synonyms: require

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types:
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burden, charge, saddle
impose a task upon, assign a responsibility to

requisition
make a formal request for official services

disallow, forbid, interdict, nix, prohibit, proscribe, veto
command against

overburden
burden with too much work or responsibility

bear down
exert a force or cause a strain upon

deluge, flood out, overwhelm
charge someone with too many tasks

adjure
command solemnly

ban
prohibit especially by legal means or social pressure

bar, debar, exclude
prevent from entering; keep out

enjoin
issue an injunction

criminalise, criminalize, illegalise, illegalize, outlaw
declare illegal; outlaw

type of:
enjoin, order, say, tell
give instructions to or direct somebody to do something with authority
verb
demand as one's due

“This speaker commands a high fee”

“The author commands a fair hearing from his readers”

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type of:
demand, exact
claim as due or just
verb
look down on

synonyms: dominate, overlook, overtop

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types:
dwarf, overshadow, shadow
make appear small by comparison

type of:
lie
be located or situated somewhere; occupy a certain position
verb
exercise authoritative control or power over

“Command the military forces”

synonyms: control

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types:
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preoccupy
engage or engross the interest or attention of beforehand or occupy urgently or obsessively

channelise, channelize, direct, guide, head, maneuver, manoeuver, manoeuvre, point, steer
direct the course; determine the direction of travelling

steer
direct (oneself) somewhere

hold one's own
maintain one's position and be in control of a situation

care, deal, handle, manage
be in charge of, act on, or dispose of

internationalise, internationalize
put under international control

hold
take and maintain control over, often by violent means

hold sway
be master; reign or rule

govern
direct or strongly influence the behavior of

regiment
subject to rigid discipline, order, and systematization

monopolise, monopolize
have and control fully and exclusively

draw rein, harness, rein, rein in
control and direct with or as if by reins

corner
gain control over

preside
act as president

dominate, master
have dominance or the power to defeat over

becharm, charm
control by magic spells, as by practicing witchcraft

govern, rule
exercise authority over; as of nations

call the shots, call the tune, wear the trousers
exercise authority or be in charge

bewitch, enchant, glamour, hex, jinx, witch
cast a spell over someone or something; put a hex on someone or something

dock
maneuver into a dock

ghost, haunt, obsess
haunt like a ghost; pursue

prepossess
cause to be preoccupied

sheer
cause to sheer

pull over
steer a vehicle to the side of the road

helm
be at or take the helm of

crab
direct (an aircraft) into a crosswind

navigate
direct carefully and safely

stand out
steer away from shore, of ships

starboard
turn to the right, of helms or rudders

conn
conduct or direct the steering of a ship or plane

navigate, pilot
act as the navigator in a car, plane, or vessel and plan, direct, plot the path and position of the conveyance

canalise, canalize, channel
direct the flow of

corner, tree
force a person or an animal into a position from which he cannot escape

park
maneuver a vehicle into a parking space

administer, administrate
work in an administrative capacity; supervise or be in charge of

organise, organize
cause to be structured or ordered or operating according to some principle or idea

work
cause to operate or function

come to grips, get to grips
deal with (a problem or a subject)

dispose of
deal with or settle

mind, take care
be in charge of or deal with

coordinate
bring into common action, movement, or condition

juggle
deal with simultaneously

process
deal with in a routine way

misconduct, mishandle, mismanage
manage badly or incompetently

direct
be in charge of

carry on, conduct, deal
direct the course of; manage or control

subject, subjugate
make subservient; force to submit or subdue

throne
sit on the throne as a ruler

misgovern
govern badly

dictate
rule as a dictator

reign
have sovereign power

touch
deal with; usually used with a form of negation

curate
organize and oversee items in a collection or exhibit

finesse
plan, manage, or direct with subtle and skillful maneuvering
noun
a military unit or region under the control of a single officer

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types:
ACC, Air Combat Command
a command that is the primary provider of air combat weapon systems to the United States Air Force; operates fighter, bomber, reconnaissance, battle-management, and rescue aircraft

AFSPC, Air Force Space Command
a command of the United States Air Force that is responsible for defending the United States through its space and intercontinental ballistic missile operations

type of:
force, military force, military group, military unit
a unit that is part of some military service
noun
great skillfulness and knowledge of some subject or activity

“a good command of French”

synonyms: control, mastery

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type of:
skillfulness
the state of being cognitively skillful
noun
(computer science) a line of code written as part of a computer program

synonyms: instruction, program line, statement

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types:
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call
an instruction that interrupts the program being executed

command line
commands that a user types in order to run an application

link
(computing) an instruction that connects one part of a program or an element on a list to another program or list

macro, macro instruction
a single computer instruction that results in a series of instructions in machine language

system error
an instruction that is either not recognized by an operating system or is in violation of the procedural rules

toggle
any instruction that works first one way and then the other; it turns something on the first time it is used and then turns it off the next time

function call
a call that passes control to a subroutine; after the subroutine is executed control returns to the next instruction in main program

hyperlink
a link from a hypertext file to another location or file; typically activated by clicking on a highlighted word or icon at a particular location on the screen

supervisor call instruction, system call
an instruction that interrupts the program being executed and passes control to the supervisor

type of:
code, computer code
(computer science) the symbolic arrangement of data or instructions in a computer program or the set of such instructions

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