Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English - order

~1 n 1 »FOR A PURPOSE« a) in order to do sth for the purpose of doing something  (politicians who make promises simply in order to win more votes | In order to understand how the human body works, you need to have some knowledge of chemistry.) b) in order for/that formal so that something can happen or so that someone can do something  (in order for sb/sth to do sth)  (Sunlight is needed in order for photosynthesis to take place. | in order that)  (I locked the door in order that we might continue our discussions undisturbed.) 2 »ARRANGEMENT« the way that several things, events etc are arranged or put on a list, showing whether something is first, second, third etc; sequence  (The programme shows the order of events for the day. | In order (=arranged in a particular way))  (You should keep the files in order. | What order are these videos supposed to be in? | do sth in order (=do things one after another, according to a plan))  (Then they call out our names in order and we answer yes or no. | out of order (=in the wrong order) | in chronological/alphabetical/numerical order)  (Let us examine these events in chronological order. | in the right/wrong order)  (Wait a minute, we've got these photos in the wrong order. | in order of importance/preference/appearance etc)  (Characters are listed in order of appearance. | in reverse order (=in the opposite order to what is usual) | in ascending/descending order (=starting with the lowest or highest number)) 3 »REQUEST FOR GOODS« a request by a customer for a company to supply goods or for a meal in a restaurant  (place an order (=make an order))  (The Canadian Air Force has placed a large order for electronic equipment. | order form (=special piece of paper for writing orders on))  (Have you filled out the order form? | on order (=ordered but not yet received))  (It's on order - it should be in next week. | have sth on order (=be waiting for something you have ordered) | take sb's order (=write down what a customer in a restaurant wants))  (The waiter came over to take my order. | make/supply sth to order (=produce something especially for a particular customer))  (We supply hand-made shoes to order.) 4 »GOODS/MEAL« goods or a meal that a customer has asked for  (Your order has arrived - you can collect it from the store any time. | side order (=a small plate of food in addition to your main meal)) 5 »NO TROUBLE OR CRIME« a situation in which rules are obeyed and authority is respected  (law and order)  (the work of the police in maintaining law and order | public order)  (Their speeches were clearly a threat to public order. | keep order/keep sb in order (=stop people from behaving badly))  (Some of the new teachers can't keep order. | Don't worry, I'll keep them in order. | restore order)  (The army was called in to restore order. | call sb to order (=order someone in a formal meeting or court of law to obey the rules) | Order! Order! (=used in parliament or in court to tell people to be quiet and obey the rules)) 6 »COMMAND« also orders a command given by someone in authority  (I expect my orders to be obeyed. | You will report to me at eight o'clock tomorrow - and that's an order | give orders)  (I'm the one who gives the orders around here - just remember that. | take orders from (=obey someone))  (I'm not taking orders from you! | order to do sth)  (General Bradley gave the order to advance. | have orders to do sth (=have been commanded to do something))  (I have orders to search your house. | by order of/on the orders of (=because of someone's order))  (On Stalin's orders the target for the five year plan was raised once again. | under orders to do sth (=having been commanded to do something))  (A warship was dispatched, under orders to sail directly to Georgetown.) 7 »LEGAL DOCUMENT« an official statement from a court of law that something must be done; court order 8 be out of order a) if a machine or piece of equipment is out of order, it is not working  (The phone at the street corner is out of order again.) b) if things on a list or in a series are out of order, they are not correctly arranged  (Some of the pages in this book are out of order.) c) BrE informal if someone's behaviour is out of order it is unacceptable; out of line line1 (32AmE d) to be breaking the rules in a committee, court, parliament etc  (The MP's remarks were ruled out of order.) 9 be in order a) if things on a list or in a series are in order they are correctly arranged b) if an official document is in order it is legal and correct  (Is your passport in order?) c) if something that you do is in order, it is allowed by the rules in a committee, court, parliament etc d) to be a suitable thing to do or say on a particular occasion  (I hear congratulations are in order.) 10 be in (good) working/running order if a vehicle or machine is in good working or running order, it is working well  (a 1927 Model A Ford, still in good running order) 11 »WELL-ORGANIZED STATE« a situation in which everything is controlled, well organized, and correctly arranged  (Let's have some order in here. Someone put those desks straight. | put sth in order (=organize or arrange something properly))  (Uncle Bob put his business affairs in order before he died. | in apple-pie order AmE informal (=very tidy and correctly arranged))  (Tim's room was in apple-pie order.) 12 leave/retreat/retire in good order to leave in a controlled way, when people are angry or attacking you 13 »POLITICAL/BUSINESS SITUATION« the political, social, or economic situation at a particular time  (the present economic order | the established order (=the traditional rules and customs of society))  (The gay rights movement emerged to challenge the established order. | the new order (=the new situation after an important change in politics or society))  (the new world order since the end of the Cold War) 14 the (natural) order of things the way that life and the world are organized and intended to be  (People accepted the class system as part of the natural order of things.) 15 of a high/the highest/the first order of a very good or of the best kind  (an achievement of the highest order) 16 be the order of the day a) to be suitable for a particular occasion or situation  (Casual clothes are the order of the day.) b) to be very common at a particular time  (Sexual explicitness seems to be the order of the day.) 17 in the order of/of the order of also on the order of AmE a little more or a little less than a particular amount; approximately  (a figure in the order of $7 million) 18 in short order especially AmE immediately  (The crisis was resolved in relatively short order.) 19 »RELIGIOUS GROUP« a society of monks or nuns (=people who live a holy life according to religious rules)  (the Benedictine Order) + of  (the order of Jesuits) 20 take (holy) orders to become a priest 21 »SECRET SOCIETY« an organization or society whose members meet for secret ceremonies  (a Masonic order | the Royal Ancient Order of Boars) 22 »OFFICIAL HONOUR« a) a group of people who have received a special official reward from a king, president etc for their services or achievements  (the Order of the Garter) b) a special piece of metal, silk etc that members of the order wear at ceremonies 23 »MONEY« an official piece of paper that can be exchanged for money  (- see also postal order, banker's order, money order) 24 the lower orders BrE old-fashioned people who belong to the lowest social class 25 »OF ANIMALS/PLANTS« technical a group of animals or plants that are considered together because they are descended from the same plant or animal in evolution (1)  (- compare class1 (6), kingdom (3), species) 26 »COMPUTER« AmE technical a list of jobs that a computer has to do in a particular order; queue BrE  (- see also point of order, tall order tall (3), standing order, pecking order, be given/get your marching orders march1 (5), under starter's orders starter (3), set/put your own house in order house1 (7)) ~2 v 1 to ask for goods or services  (Have you ordered yet, madam? | order sth)  (She ordered a double brandy. | order sb sth)  (We'll order you a taxi from the station. | order sth for sb/sth)  (I've ordered new curtains for the living room.) 2 to tell someone to do something, using your authority or power  ("Stay right there," she ordered. | order sb in/out etc)  (If you make any more noise I'll order you out of the room. | order sb to do sth)  (The commandant ordered them to line up against the wall. | order sth)  (Only the king has the power to order the release of the prisoners.) + tha  (A grand jury has ordered that Schultz be sent for trial.) 3 to arrange something in an order  (The diamonds are ordered according to size.) 4 old use to arrange things neatly or effectively order sb about/around phr v BrE to continuously give someone orders in an annoying or threatening way  (Keith's older brother is always ordering him around.) order sb out phr v to order soldiers or police to go somewhere to stop violent behaviour by a crowd  (The Governor decided to order out the National Guard.)