Definition of "command"

command

/kəˈmɑːnd/

noun
countable and uncountable, plural commands
1. An order to do something.
2. The right or authority to order, control or dispose of; the right to be obeyed or to compel obedience.
  Quotations
  GAGE, at that time, had command of troops near the lakes; and fearing an attack from the Indians, had called for some new recruits from Massachusetts; but the Assembly judged them not necessary.
  1822, Alden Bradford, History of Massachusetts ..., Richardson and Lord, page 41
  It wasn't a decisive operation, and Carthage still had command of Spain.
  2013, Barry Strauss, Masters of Command: Alexander, Hannibal, Caesar, and the Genius of ..., Simon and Schuster, page 68
3. power of control, direction or disposal; mastery.
  Quotations
  The Indians had command of the lands and the waters — command of all their beneficial use, whether kept for hunting, 'and grazing roving herds of stock,' or turned to agriculture and the arts of civilization.
  1985, Peter Iverson, The Plains Indians of the Twentieth Century, University of Oklahoma Press, page 93
4. A position of chief authority; a position involving the right or power to order or control.
5. The act of commanding; exercise or authority of influence.
  Quotations
  Command cannot be otherwise than savage, for it implies an appeal to force, should force be needful.
  1851, Herbert Spencer, Social Statics, page 180
6. (military) A body or troops, or any naval or military force, under the control of a particular officer; by extension, any object or body in someone's charge.
  Quotations
  I asked myself what I was to do there, now my boat was lost. As a matter of fact, I had plenty to do in fishing my command out of the river.
  1899 February, Joseph Conrad, “The Heart of Darkness”, in Blackwood’s Edinburgh Magazine, volume CLXV, number M, New York, N.Y.: The Leonard Scott Publishing Company, […], part I
7. Dominating situation; range or control or oversight; extent of view or outlook.
8. (computing) A directive to a computer program acting as an interpreter of some kind, in order to perform a specific task.
9. (baseball) The degree of control a pitcher has over his pitches.
10. A command performance.
  Quotations
  Atkinson […] had hinted to me that the Duke of Richmond was so delighted with my acting that he should not be surprised if there was a second command.
  1809, Dorothy Jordan, letter, cited in Claire Tomalin, Mrs Jordan's Profession, Penguin 2012, p. 220
verb
third-person singular simple present commands, present participle commanding, simple past and past participle commanded
1. (transitive, intransitive) To order, give orders; to compel or direct with authority.
  Quotations
  We are commanded to forgive our enemies, but you never read that we are commanded to forgive our friends.
  1625, Francis [Bacon], “Of Revenge”, in The Essayes […], 3rd edition, London: […] Iohn Haviland for Hanna Barret
  Go to your mistress: / Say, I command her come to me.
  c. 1590–1592 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Taming of the Shrew”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act V, scene ii]
2. (transitive, intransitive) To have or exercise supreme power, control or authority over, especially military; to have under direction or control.
  Quotations
  Monmouth commanded the English auxiliaries.
  1849–1861, Thomas Babington Macaulay, chapter 2, in The History of England from the Accession of James the Second, volumes (please specify |volume=I to V), London: Longman, Brown, Green, and Longmans
  Such aid as I can spare you shall command.
  1591 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Second Part of Henry the Sixt, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies. […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act IV, scene v]
3. (transitive) To require with authority; to demand, order, enjoin.
  Quotations
  If thou be the son of God, command that these stones be made bread.
  1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], Matthew 4:3
  The reasons for this growing disconnect are myriad and complex but the situation is exacerbated by the reality that those English players who do smash through our game's "glass ceiling" command radically inflated transfer fees.
  2013 August 20, Louise Taylor, The Guardian‎
4. (transitive) to dominate through ability, resources, position etc.; to overlook.
5. (transitive) To exact, compel or secure by influence; to deserve, claim.
6. (transitive) To hold, to control the use of.
  Quotations
  Two wooden bridges led across the river; each was commanded by a fortified house
  1856, John Lothrop Motley, The Rise of the Dutch Republic. A History. […], volumes (please specify |volume=I to III), New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers, […]
  Up to the eastern tower, / Whose height commands as subject all the vale.
  c. 1602, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Troylus and Cressida”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act I, scene ii]
  One [side] commands a view of the finest garden.
  December 1699, Joseph Addison, letter to William Congreve
  […] they made considerable progress in the art of embalming the wild fruits of their native land, so that they might command cranberries and hindberries at all times and seasons.
  1834, The Hobart Town Magazine, volume 2, page 323
7. (transitive, intransitive, archaic) To have a view (of), as from a superior position.
  Quotations
  Farr and wide his eye commands.
  1667, John Milton, “Book III”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], […]; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873,
  I pulled in hand over hand on the cord, and when I judged myself near enough, rose at infinite risk to about half my height and thus commanded the roof and a slice of the interior of the cabin.
  1881–1882, Robert Louis Stevenson, Treasure Island, London, Paris: Cassell & Company, published 14 November 1883
8. (obsolete) To direct to come; to bestow.
  Quotations
  I will command my blessing upon you.
  1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], Leviticus 25:21

Definition of "command"

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