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.

Primary Meanings of command

1.
 nv
an authoritative direction or instruction to do something
be in command of
2.
 n
a military unit or region under the control of a single officer
3.
 n
great skillfulness and knowledge of some subject or activity
4.
 n
(computer science) a line of code written as part of a computer program
Full Definitions of command
1

n an authoritative direction or instruction to do something

Synonyms:
bid, bidding, dictation
Examples:
Ten Commandments
the biblical commandments of Moses
Types:
show 11 types...
hide 11 types...
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
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

n the power or authority to command

“an admiral in command”
Type of:
authorisation, authority, authorization, dominance, potency, say-so
the power or right to give orders or make decisions

n a position of highest authority

“the corporation has just undergone a change in command”
Type of:
position, status
the relative position or standing of things or especially persons in a society

n availability for use

“the materials at the command of the potters grew”
Type of:
accessibility, availability, availableness, handiness
the quality of being at hand when needed

v be in command of

“The general commanded a huge army”
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

v make someone do something

Synonyms:
require
Types:
show 11 types...
hide 11 types...
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

v demand as one's due

“This speaker commands a high fee”
“The author commands a fair hearing from his readers”
Type of:
demand, exact
claim as due or just

v look down on

Synonyms:
dominate, overlook, overtop
Types:
dwarf, overshadow, shadow
make appear small by comparison
Type of:
lie
be located or situated somewhere; occupy a certain position

v exercise authoritative control or power over

“Command the military forces”
Synonyms:
control
Types:
show 52 types...
hide 52 types...
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
2

n a military unit or region under the control of a single officer

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
3

n great skillfulness and knowledge of some subject or activity

“a good command of French”
Synonyms:
control, mastery
Type of:
skillfulness
the state of being cognitively skillful
4

n (computer science) a line of code written as part of a computer program

Synonyms:
instruction, program line, statement
Types:
show 9 types...
hide 9 types...
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

Sign up, it's free!

Whether you're a student, an educator, or a lifelong learner, Vocabulary.com can put you on the path to systematic vocabulary improvement.