ordain

[awr-deyn] /ɔrˈdeɪn/
verb (used with object)
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 orders for:
He ordained that the restrictions were to be lifted.
4.
(of God, fate, etc.) to destine or predestine:
Fate had ordained the meeting.
verb (used without object)
5.
to order or command:
Thus do the gods ordain.
6.
to select for or appoint to an office.
7.
to invest someone with sacerdotal functions.
Origin
1250-1300; Middle English ordeinen < Old French ordener < Latin ordināre to order, arrange, appoint. See ordination
Related forms
ordainable, adjective
ordainer, noun
ordainment, noun
reordain, verb (used with object)
self-ordained, adjective
self-ordainer, noun
superordain, verb (used without object)
unordainable, adjective
unordained, adjective
Synonyms
3. order, prescribe, determine. 4. predetermine.
Examples from the web for ordain
  • It is announced in their name--it receives its political existence from their authority: they ordain and establish.
  • He persisted to refuse to ordain bishops, named by the king, without a canonical election.
  • Within other denominations certain bishops or church leaders are well known to be sympathetic to gays and willing to ordain them.
British Dictionary definitions for ordain

ordain

/ɔːˈdeɪn/
verb (transitive)
1.
to consecrate (someone) as a priest; confer holy orders upon
2.
(may take a clause as object) to decree, appoint, or predestine irrevocably
3.
(may take a clause as object) to order, establish, or enact with authority
4.
(obsolete) to select for an office
Derived Forms
ordainer, noun
ordainment, noun
Word Origin
C13: from Anglo-Norman ordeiner, from Late Latin ordināre, from Latin ordoorder
Word Origin and History for ordain
v.

late 13c., "to appoint or admit to the ministry of the Church," from stem of Old French ordener "place in order, arrange, prepare; consecrate, designate" (Modern French ordonner) and directly from Latin ordinare "put in order, arrange, dispose, appoint," from ordo (genitive ordinis) "order" (see order (n.)). The notion is "to confer holy orders upon." Meaning "to decree, enact" is from c.1300; sense of "to set (something) that will continue in a certain order" is from early 14c. Related: Ordained; ordaining.