ordain

  • 1Ordain — Or*dain , v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Ordained}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Ordaining}.] [OE. ordeinen, OF. ordener, F. ordonner, fr. L. ordinare, from ordo, ordinis, order. See {Order}, and cf. {Ordinance}.] 1. To set in order; to arrange according to rule; to… …

    The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • 2ordain — [ôr dān′] vt. [ME ordeinen < OFr ordener < L ordinare, to arrange (in LL(Ec), to ordain as a priest) < L ordo, ORDER] 1. Obs. to put in order; arrange; prepare 2. a) to decree; order; establish; enact b) to predetermine; predestine 3 …

    English World dictionary

  • 3ordain — index award, bestow, command, constitute (establish), decide, dictate, direct (order) …

    Law dictionary

  • 4ordain — (v.) late 13c., to appoint or admit to the ministry of the Church, from stem of O.Fr. ordener (Mod.Fr. ordonner), from L. ordinare put in order, arrange, dispose, appoint, from ordo (gen. ordinis) order (see ORDER (Cf. order) (n.)). The notion is …

    Etymology dictionary

  • 5ordain — *dictate, prescribe, decree, impose Analogous words: order, *command, enjoin, direct …

    New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • 6ordain — [v] establish, install anoint, appoint, bless, call, commission, consecrate, constitute, deal, deal with, decree, delegate, destine, dictate, elect, enact, enjoin, fix, frock, impose, institute, invest, lay down the law*, legislate, nominate,… …

    New thesaurus

  • 7ordain — ► VERB 1) make (someone) a priest or minister. 2) order officially. 3) (of God or fate) decide in advance. ORIGIN Latin ordinare, from ordo order …

    English terms dictionary

  • 8ordain — [[t]ɔː(r)de͟ɪn[/t]] ordains, ordaining, ordained 1) VERB When someone is ordained, they are made a member of the clergy in a religious ceremony. [be V ed n] He was ordained a Catholic priest in 1982... [be V ed] Women have been ordained for many… …

    English dictionary

  • 9ordain — ordainable, adj. ordainer, n. ordainment, n. /awr dayn /, v.t. 1. to invest with ministerial or sacerdotal functions; confer holy orders upon. 2. to enact or establish by law, edict, etc.: to ordain a new type of government. 3. to decree; give… …

    Universalium

  • 10ordain — 1) In the OT God is said to ‘ordain’ (AV) or ‘establish’ (NRSV) the government of the Universe (Ps. 8:3) and its geographical divisions (1 Chron. 17:9). This means that God ‘orders’ or ‘appoints’ or ‘institutes’ or ‘invests’. 2) Similarly, he… …

    Dictionary of the Bible