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Definition
A keyword: an important word to learn order1   Show phonetics
noun
1 ARRANGEMENT [C,U] the arrangement of a group of people or things in a list from first to last
in alphabetical order
in the right/wrong order
We ranked the tasks in order of importance.

2 INSTRUCTION [C] an instruction that someone must obey
to obey orders
to give orders

3 under orders If you are under orders, someone has told you to do something.
[+ to do sth] Team members are under orders to behave well.
They claimed they were under orders from the president.

4 REQUEST [C] a request for food or goods in return for payment
Can I take your order now?

5 TIDINESS [U] a situation in which everything is in its correct place
It's nice to see some order around here for a change.
I want to put all my things in order before I go away.
Opposite disorder

6 out of order

a MACHINE If a machine or system is out of order, it is not working as it should.
The coffee machine's out of order.

b BEHAVIOUR If someone's behaviour is out of order, it is not acceptable.
What he did was completely out of order.

7 in order to do/for sth to do sth with the purpose of achieving something
She worked all summer in order to save enough money for a holiday.
In order for our relationship to continue, we need to talk about our problems.

8 NO TROUBLE [U] a situation in which people obey laws and there is no trouble
The army was brought in to restore order to the troubled province.
How long can the police maintain (= keep) order?
Opposite disorder

9 economic/political/social order the way that the economy, politics, or society is organized
a threat to the established social order

10 GROUP [C] a religious group who live together and have the same rules
an order of nuns
a monastic order
See also: mail order, postal order, standing order

The first and last word in dictionaries