commanding

[kuh-man-ding, -mahn-] /kəˈmæn dɪŋ, -ˈmɑn-/
adjective
1.
being in command:
a commanding officer.
2.
appreciably superior or imposing; winning; sizable:
a commanding position; a commanding lead in the final period.
3.
having the air, tone, etc., of command; imposing; authoritative:
a man of commanding appearance; a commanding voice.
4.
dominating by position, usually elevation; overlooking:
a commanding bluff at the mouth of the river.
5.
(of a view, or prospect) provided by a commanding location and so permitting dominance:
a commanding view of the mouth of the river.
Origin
1475-85; command + -ing2
Related forms
commandingly, adverb
commandingness, noun
quasi-commanding, adjective
quasi-commandingly, adverb

command

[kuh-mand, -mahnd] /kəˈmænd, -ˈmɑnd/
verb (used with object)
1.
to direct with specific authority or prerogative; order:
The captain commanded his men to attack.
2.
to require authoritatively; demand:
She commanded silence.
3.
to have or exercise authority or control over; be master of; have at one's bidding or disposal:
The Pharaoh commanded 10,000 slaves.
4.
to deserve and receive (respect, sympathy, attention, etc.):
He commands much respect for his attitude.
5.
to dominate by reason of location; overlook:
The hill commands the sea.
6.
to have authority over and responsibility for (a military or naval unit or installation); be in charge of.
verb (used without object)
7.
to issue an order or orders.
8.
to be in charge; have authority.
9.
to occupy a dominating position; look down upon or over a body of water, region, etc.
noun
10.
the act of commanding or ordering.
11.
an order given by one in authority:
The colonel gave the command to attack.
12.
Military.
  1. an order in prescribed words, usually given in a loud voice to troops at close-order drill: The command was “Right shoulder arms!”.
  2. the order of execution or the second part of any two-part close-order drill command, as face in Right face!
  3. (initial capital letter) a principal component of the U.S. Air Force:
    Strategic Air Command.
  4. a body of troops or a station, ship, etc., under a commander.
13.
the possession or exercise of controlling authority:
a lieutenant in command of a platoon.
14.
expertise; mastery:
He has a command of French, Russian, and German.
15.
British. a royal order.
16.
power of dominating a region by reason of location; extent of view or outlook:
the command of the valley from the hill.
17.
Computers.
  1. an electric impulse, signal, or set of signals for initiating an operation in a computer.
  2. a character, symbol, or item of information for instructing a computer to perform a specific task.
  3. a single instruction.
adjective
18.
of, pertaining to, or for use in the exercise of command:
a command car; command post.
19.
of or pertaining to a commander:
a command decision.
20.
ordered by a sovereign, as if by a sovereign, or by the exigencies of a situation:
a command performance.
Origin
1250-1300; (v.) Middle English coma(u)nden < Anglo-French com(m)a(u)nder, Old French comander < Medieval Latin commandāre, equivalent to Latin com- com- + mandāre to entrust, order (cf. commend); (noun) late Middle English comma(u)nde < Anglo-French, Old French, noun derivative of the v.
Related forms
commandable, adjective
precommand, noun, verb
uncommanded, adjective
well-commanded, adjective
Synonyms
1. bid, demand, charge, instruct, enjoin. See direct. 3. govern, control, oversee, manage, lead. See rule. 4. exact, compel, require, claim, secure. 10. direction, bidding, injunction, charge, mandate, instruction. 13. ascendancy, sway, domination.
Antonyms
1, 7. obey.
Examples from the web for commanding
  • Horse breeding is now big business, with top thoroughbreds easily commanding six-figures per mating.
  • Take a breath before you start commanding me to grow up.
  • His influence, commanding in his own day, has continued down to the present.
  • The enemy's line consisted of redans occupying commanding positions, with rifle-pits connecting them.
  • The capture was a disgraceful one to the officer commanding but not to the troops under him.
  • Nevertheless, he felt himself in the presence of something powerful and commanding.
  • They have lost all commanding views in literature, philosophy, and science.
  • His tenderness and charity won the hearts, and his zeal gave him a commanding influence over the minds of his hearers.
  • Next in line should be the commanding officers who overlooked or were ignorant of what was happening.
  • Torsos rippled and legs snapped high in commanding leaps.
British Dictionary definitions for commanding

commanding

/kəˈmɑːndɪŋ/
adjective (usually prenominal)
1.
being in command
2.
having the air of authority: a commanding voice
3.
(of a position, situation, etc) exerting control
4.
(of a height, viewpoint, etc) overlooking; advantageous
Derived Forms
commandingly, adverb

command

/kəˈmɑːnd/
verb
1.
(when transitive, may take a clause as object or an infinitive) to order, require, or compel
2.
to have or be in control or authority over (a person, situation, etc)
3.
(transitive) to have knowledge or use of: he commands the language
4.
(transitive) to receive as due or because of merit: his nature commands respect
5.
to dominate (a view, etc) as from a height
noun
6.
an order; mandate
7.
the act of commanding
8.
the power or right to command
9.
the exercise of the power to command
10.
ability or knowledge; control: a command of French
11.
(mainly military) the jurisdiction of a commander
12.
a military unit or units commanding a specific area or function, as in the RAF
13.
(Brit)
  1. an invitation from the monarch
  2. (as modifier): a command performance
14.
(computing) a word or phrase that can be selected from a menu or typed after a prompt in order to carry out an action
Word Origin
C13: from Old French commander, from Latin com- (intensive) + mandāre to entrust, enjoin, command

Command

/kəˈmɑːnd/
noun
1.
any of the three main branches of the Canadian military forces: Air Command
Word Origin and History for commanding
adj.

late 15c. (in astronomy), present participle adjective from command (v.). Meaning "nobly dignified" is from 1590s. Meaning "dominant by virtue of size or position" is from 1630s. Related: Commandingly (mid-15c.).

command

v.

c.1300, from Old French comander "to order, enjoin, entrust" (12c.), from Vulgar Latin *commandare, from Latin commendare "to recommend, entrust to" (see commend), altered by influence of Latin mandare "to commit, entrust" (see mandate (n.)). Replaced Old English bebeodan. Related: Commanded; commanding.

n.

c.1400, "order, command," from Old French comand (14c.), from comander (see command (v.)). Meaning "control, authority" is from mid-15c.

Idioms and Phrases with commanding

command

In addition to the idiom beginning with command also see: have a good command