Ordain definition and meaning | Collins English Dictionary

ordain in American English · 1. to invest with ministerial or sacerdotal functions; confer holy orders upon · 2. to enact or establish by law, edict, etc. to ... EnglishDictionary Thesaurus WordLists Grammar EnglishEasyLearningGrammar GrammarPatterns EnglishUsage TeachingResources VideoGuides Conjugations Sentences Quiz Englishgrammar Englishcollocations Englishconfusables Englishidioms Englishusage Thematicwordlists English French German Italian Spanish Portuguese Hindi Chinese Korean Japanese Definitionof 'ordain'    WordFrequency Share× Credits× ordain (ɔːʳdeɪn ) Wordforms:3rdpersonsingularpresent tenseordains ,presentparticipleordaining ,pasttense,pastparticipleordained 1. verb Whensomeoneisordained,theyaremadeamemberoftheclergyinareligiousceremony. HewasordainedaCatholicpriestin1982.[beVERB-ednoun] WomenhavebeenordainedformanyyearsintheChurchofScotland.[beVERB-ed] Heordainedhisownpriests.[VERBnoun] Hebecameafullyordainedmonkattheageof20.[VERB-ed] Synonyms:appoint,call,name,commission MoreSynonymsofordain 2. verb Ifsomeauthorityorpowerordainssomething,theydecidethatitshouldhappenorbeinexistence. [formal]Nehruordainedthatsocialismshouldrule.[VERBthat] Hisrulewasordainedbyheaven.[beVERB-ed] Therecessionmayalreadybesevereenoughtoordainstructuralchange.[VERBnoun] MoreSynonymsofordain COBUILDAdvancedEnglishDictionary.Copyright©HarperCollinsPublishers Youmayalsolike EnglishQuizConfusables Synonymsof'ordain' LanguageLover'sBlog FrenchTranslationof'ordain' Translateyourtext PronunciationPlaylists Wordoftheday:'ekistics' HindiTranslationof'ordain' NEWfromCollins! EnglishGrammar CollinsApps WordFrequency ordaininBritishEnglish (ɔːˈdeɪn ) verb(transitive)1. toconsecrate(someone)asapriest;conferholyordersupon 2. (maytakeaclauseasobject) todecree,appoint,orpredestineirrevocably 3. (maytakeaclauseasobject) toorder,establish,orenactwithauthority 4. obsolete toselectforanoffice CollinsEnglishDictionary.Copyright©HarperCollinsPublishers Derivedformsordainer(orˈdainer)noun ordainment(orˈdainment)noun WordoriginC13:fromAnglo-Normanordeiner,fromLateLatinordināre,fromLatinordoorder WordFrequency ordaininAmericanEnglish (ɔrˈdeɪn ) verbtransitive1. Obsolete toputinorder;arrange;prepare 2. a.  todecree;order;establish;enact b.  topredetermine;predestine 3.  toinvestwiththefunctionsorofficeofaminister,priest,orrabbi verbintransitive4.  tocommand;decree Webster’sNewWorldCollegeDictionary,4thEdition.Copyright©2010by HoughtonMifflinHarcourt.Allrightsreserved. Derivedformsordainer(orˈdainer) noun ordainment(orˈdainment) noun WordoriginMEordeinen