order
order — verb
1. to tell a shop, restaurant, or company what you want so they prepare it or send
to tell a shop, restaurant, or company what you want so they prepare it or send it to you.
We ordered noodles and tea as soon as we sat down.
order + food in a restaurant
Dad ordered a new printer from a shop in Taichung.
order + noun + from [shop]
I ordered two copies online for the school library.
The hotel ordered extra towels before the tour group arrived.
Nina ordered me a coffee while I looked at the menu.
- cancel
used when you stop an order after placing it
文法句型
order + noun
order + noun + from [shop/company]
order + someone + noun
用法筆記
The object is usually food, goods, tickets, or another service a business can provide. Distinguish from sense 2, where the speaker uses authority rather than asking as a customer.
常見錯誤
2. to use official authority to tell someone that they must act, or that something
to use official authority to tell someone that they must act, or that something must be done.
The judge ordered the driver to pay for the damage.
order + someone + to-infinitive
An officer ordered the crowd to move behind the fence.
The mayor ordered all city schools to close early.
The sergeant ordered, 'Leave the heavy bags here, boys.'
After the leak, the manager ordered the kitchen cleaned immediately.
文法句型
order + someone + to-infinitive
order + that-clause
order + object + past participle
用法筆記
The subject is usually a judge, officer, manager, or another person in authority. This sense commonly takes a person + to-infinitive, and it is also common in formal reports about official decisions.
常見錯誤
3. to put people, things, or information into a set sequence or give them places in
to put people, things, or information into a set sequence or give them places in a list.
The app orders songs by date, not by singer.
order + noun + by [feature]
Teachers ordered the teams from fastest to slowest.
order + noun + from highest to lowest
Please order these photos by year before the meeting.
We ordered the names alphabetically on the board.
The website ordered the search results by price.
文法句型
order + noun + by [feature]
order + noun + from highest to lowest
order + noun + alphabetically
用法筆記
This sense often shows the rule after 'by', or gives a scale such as 'from fastest to slowest'. Distinguish from sense 1, which is about asking for goods or food.
常見錯誤
order — noun
1. a customer's request asking a business to provide a meal, goods, or a service.
a customer's request asking a business to provide a meal, goods, or a service.
The cafe wrote our lunch order on a yellow paper pad.
restaurant order
Sofia placed a large book order for the village school.
place an order
We sent the paint order after measuring every classroom wall.
Please check the wedding cake order before the bakery starts work.
- request
broader and can be used outside buying situations
- booking
used more for reserving a seat, room, or service in advance
- purchase order
more formal and especially used in business paperwork
- cancellation
used when the order is stopped before it is completed
文法句型
place an order
order for [goods/food]
online order
用法筆記
Common with businesses that make, prepare, or deliver something for you. Distinguish from sense 2, which names the food or goods after they have been supplied.
常見錯誤
2. the food, goods, or other thing that a customer asked a business to provide.
the food, goods, or other thing that a customer asked a business to provide.
The waiter brought Hana's order before the soup was ready.
order = meal served
The sofa order arrived in five large boxes yesterday.
order = goods delivered
Please carry Mrs Chen's flower order to the front desk.
Each lunch order came with fruit and a paper cup.
文法句型
bring someone's order
deliver an order
coffee order
用法筆記
Often used when the meal or goods are being brought, delivered, packed, or checked. Distinguish from sense 1, which is the act of asking for something rather than the thing supplied.
常見錯誤
3. in the phrase 'on order', used for something that has been requested but has not
in the phrase 'on order', used for something that has been requested but has not arrived yet.
The new library shelves are on order from a shop in Tainan.
be on order
A replacement screen was still on order when Ken called.
still on order
Because the parts were on order, the lift stayed closed.
Our uniforms remain on order until the factory reopens.
- awaiting delivery
clear and formal, especially in business contexts
- back-ordered
more technical and usually means the supplier is delayed
- in stock
means the goods are already available
文法句型
be on order
still on order
remain on order
用法筆記
Used after 'be', 'stay', or 'remain', and usually about goods or parts expected from a supplier. Distinguish from sense 2, where the order has already arrived or is being served.
常見錯誤
4. in the phrase 'to order', used for something made or done specially after a cust
in the phrase 'to order', used for something made or done specially after a customer asks for it.
The tailor cut each school jacket to order.
to order after noun
This bakery makes birthday cakes to order every weekend.
make something to order
Guests can have vegetarian lunches prepared to order here.
The studio prints name cards to order for small companies.
- custom-made
common for goods designed for one buyer
- made-to-measure
used especially for clothes made to fit a person
- bespoke
more formal and especially common in British English
- ready-made
describes goods already made before any customer asks
文法句型
made to order
prepared to order
to order after noun
用法筆記
Most common after verbs such as 'make', 'cook', 'prepare', 'cut', and 'print'. It stresses that the item is produced for a particular customer, not taken ready-made from stock.
常見錯誤
5. the pattern in which people, things, or events are set out, or the sequence they
the pattern in which people, things, or events are set out, or the sequence they follow.
The books are in alphabetical order on the back shelf.
in alphabetical order
Seat order changed after two players missed the bus.
The order of family photos tells the story clearly.
Please keep the quiz questions in the same order.
- arrangement
broader and can also describe physical placement, not just sequence
- sequence
focuses more strongly on one item following another
- layout
often used for the physical position of parts in a space
- disorder
means there is no clear arrangement or sequence
文法句型
in ... order
the order of [items/events]
keep something in the same order
用法筆記
Often followed by 'of' to name the items in the sequence, or used in fixed patterns such as 'in alphabetical order'. Distinguish from sense 10 in the other chunk, where 'order' means general tidiness rather than sequence.
常見錯誤
6. a command from someone with authority telling a person what they must do.
a command from someone with authority telling a person what they must do.
The captain gave clear orders before the rescue boat left.
give orders
Nurses followed the doctor's orders during the night shift.
follow orders
The guard ignored orders and opened the side gate.
I took my orders from Ms Lin at the front desk.
- command
the closest match and often slightly stronger in tone
- instruction
can sound less forceful and more procedural
- directive
formal and common in official or business writing
文法句型
give orders
follow orders
take orders from [person]
用法筆記
Very often plural after verbs such as 'give', 'follow', 'ignore', and 'take'. Distinguish from sense 8 in the other chunk, which is a formal written order or payment instruction rather than the command itself.
常見錯誤
7. In the phrase 'under orders', used when a person must act because a superior has
In the phrase 'under orders', used when a person must act because a superior has already told them what to do.
Nurse Patel was under orders to wake Mr Wu at six.
under orders to + verb
After the storm, ferry staff were under orders not to sail.
be under orders
By noon, every driver was under orders to check the bus brakes.
The pilot stayed on the island because she was under orders.
- free
used when a person can decide for themselves
文法句型
be under orders
under orders to + verb
用法筆記
Used after 'be', often with 'under orders to + verb'. Common with soldiers, police, transport staff, and other people expected to obey a superior immediately.
常見錯誤
8. A formal direction, often written down, that says something must happen, must no
A formal direction, often written down, that says something must happen, must not happen, or that money should be sent through a bank.
The judge signed an order stopping work on the new tower.
court order
A written order from City Hall closed the market for repairs.
written order from an authority
Mrs Liu left a payment order at the bank on Tuesday.
Police entered the flat only after showing a court order.
文法句型
court order
written order
payment order
用法筆記
Usually names a written or legal document from a court, bank, police force, or government office. Distinguish from sense 6, where a person simply gives spoken orders.
常見錯誤
9. In the phrase 'in order to', used before a verb to show why someone does somethi
In the phrase 'in order to', used before a verb to show why someone does something.
Lina left home early in order to catch the first train.
in order to + verb
In order to save water, the school fixed every old tap.
purpose phrase before main clause
Marcus whispered in order not to wake the baby upstairs.
The museum opened late in order to finish the new lights.
- to
more common and less formal in everyday speech
- so as to
formal and close in meaning, but less common
- for the purpose of
much more formal and usually followed by a noun or -ing form
文法句型
in order to + verb
in order not to + verb
用法筆記
Almost always appears as 'in order to + verb'. It is more formal and more deliberate than using plain 'to' before the verb.
常見錯誤
10. A condition in which things are neat and placed where they should be.
A condition in which things are neat and placed where they should be.
After dinner, the kitchen was back in order before the guests arrived.
be back in order
Mia keeps her desk in good order, even during exam week.
keep something in good order
By sunrise, every tool was in order on the workshop wall.
Please leave the art room in order after the children finish painting.
- tidiness
focuses on being neat and clean
- neatness
often used for careful appearance as well as arrangement
- orderliness
slightly more formal than 'tidiness'
文法句型
in order
in good order
keep something in order
用法筆記
Usually used with rooms, desks, papers, tools, and other physical things that can be left neat or messy. Distinguish from sense 12, which is about working properly rather than being tidy.
常見錯誤
11. In phrases like 'put something in order', to arrange or deal with things until t
In phrases like 'put something in order', to arrange or deal with things until they become neat and organized.
Before guests arrived, Nora put the living room in order.
put something in order
The clerk spent Friday afternoon getting old files in order.
get something in order
Dad stopped to set the camping gear in order after the rain.
We need an hour to put the school store records in order.
- scatter
suggests leaving things spread around untidily
文法句型
put something in order
get something in order
set something in order
用法筆記
Occurs in fixed patterns with verbs such as 'put', 'get', and 'set'. This sense is the action of organizing; sense 10 is the tidy state after that action.
常見錯誤
12. A condition where a machine, system, or set of papers works properly or is ready
A condition where a machine, system, or set of papers works properly or is ready and acceptable for use.
Please check that the fire alarm is in good order before Friday.
in good order for equipment
By Monday, the printer should be in working order again.
in working order
All the hire bikes were in order before the school trip.
Her visa papers were in order at the airport desk.
- working condition
common for machines and equipment
- good condition
broader and can describe physical quality as well as function
- usable
simpler and less formal, but does not fit every document context
- out of order
the usual opposite for machines that are not working
- invalid
the closer opposite for papers or documents not accepted as legal
文法句型
in working order
in good order
papers are in order
用法筆記
Common in checks and inspections. Machines, tools, and documents are 'in order' when nothing important is wrong and they can be used or accepted.
常見錯誤
13. a calm public state where people follow laws or rules and serious trouble is con
a calm public state where people follow laws or rules and serious trouble is controlled.
Police stayed outside the stadium to keep order after the match.
keep order
Teachers struggled to restore order when the fire alarm rang.
restore order
Order returned to the square after the last buses left.
Strict rules kept order in the hall during the prize ceremony.
- peace
stresses calm more than rule-following
- stability
broader and often used for political or economic calm
- discipline
focuses more on controlled behaviour by a group
文法句型
keep order
restore order
public order
用法筆記
Usually appears in public settings with verbs such as 'keep', 'restore', and 'maintain'. Distinguish from sense 10, which is about neat arrangement of things rather than social peace.
常見錯誤
14. the cry 'Order!' that a chair or speaker gives to silence a noisy debate and get
the cry 'Order!' that a chair or speaker gives to silence a noisy debate and get the business moving again.
The chair called "Order!" when councillors talked over one another.
call "Order!"
After three loud jokes, the judge shouted "Order!" across the courtroom.
shout "Order!"
At the union meeting, Ms Evans cried "Order!" and raised her hand.
"Order!" rang out after two parents began shouting in the school hall.
- call for silence
an explanatory phrase rather than a set term
- warning
broader and can be used outside meetings
文法句型
Order!
call "Order!"
shout "Order!"
用法筆記
Used as the exact word 'Order!' in parliaments, councils, courts, and other formal debates. It is not the same as sense 13, which names the calm state itself.
常見錯誤
15. the set of rules and relationships that shape how a society or political life is
the set of rules and relationships that shape how a society or political life is organized.
After the mine closed, many young workers questioned the social order.
social order
The speech praised an international order that protects small countries.
international order
After winning power, the party promised to reshape the political order.
Farm workers marched for a fairer social order in the southern valley.
文法句型
social order
political order
international order
用法筆記
Usually modified by adjectives such as 'social', 'political', 'economic', or 'international'. Distinguish from sense 16, which refers to the older way things were done in the past.
常見錯誤
16. the older social or political way of living and governing before later changes h
the older social or political way of living and governing before later changes happened.
After the revolution, many landowners feared the old order was collapsing.
the old order
The museum guide explained village life under the old order.
On radio shows, some ministers still spoke of the old order returning.
Young voters rejected the old order and filled the square with banners.
- old system
plain explanation of the meaning
- establishment
can suggest the people in power as well as the system
- ancien regime
historical and much more formal
- new order
the system that replaces the old one
文法句型
the old order
return to the old order
用法筆記
Most often appears as 'the old order' in historical or political writing. Unlike sense 15, it points specifically to an earlier system that people compare with a newer one.
常見錯誤
17. a community, especially of monks or nuns, whose members live together under shar
a community, especially of monks or nuns, whose members live together under shared religious rules.
Lila's aunt joined an order that cared for sick children.
join an order
The order lives behind the church and grows its own food.
religious community as subject
Several young women entered the order after finishing university.
Members of the order wear simple brown clothes at prayer times.
- religious community
clear and neutral explanation
- brotherhood
often used for men in a shared religious group
- sisterhood
often used for women in a shared religious group
文法句型
join an order
enter an order
religious order
用法筆記
Often appears with verbs such as 'join', 'enter', and 'leave'. Usually refers to a religious community rather than the honour group in sense 18.
常見錯誤
18. an honour group whose membership is given by a ruler or state to reward importan
an honour group whose membership is given by a ruler or state to reward important service.
After ten years in public hospitals, Dr Singh entered the order.
admit someone to an order
At the palace dinner, Maria wore the badge of a national order.
national order
Each spring, only three artists become members of the order.
The president created a new order for firefighters after the mountain rescue.
- decoration
usually names the medal or honour itself, not the membership group
- honour society
can refer to a membership group, but often in schools rather than by a state
文法句型
admit someone to an order
member of the order
national order
用法筆記
Common in official names and with verbs such as 'admit', 'create', and 'award membership in'. Distinguish from sense 17, where the members live together under religious rules.
常見錯誤
19. a level, scale, or kind of thing, especially when it is compared with something
a level, scale, or kind of thing, especially when it is compared with something else.
The flood damage was of a different order from last winter's broken fence.
of a different order
Their new steel factory is of a higher order than our village workshop.
of a higher order
This billing error is of the same order as last May's mistake.
The repair cost was of a lower order than the bridge rebuild.
文法句型
of a different order
of the same order
of a higher order
用法筆記
Usually appears after 'of' in comparisons, often with adjectives such as 'different', 'same', 'higher', and 'lower'. Distinguish from sense 20, which only gives a rough amount.
常見錯誤
20. in the phrase 'of the order of', meaning around a stated number, size, or total.
in the phrase 'of the order of', meaning around a stated number, size, or total.
The repairs were of the order of two thousand dollars last spring.
of the order of + amount
At noon, the queue was of the order of forty people.
Our flight delay was of the order of twenty minutes.
The fishing town has a population of the order of ten thousand.
- exactly
shows a precise number rather than an estimate
文法句型
of the order of + number
be of the order of + amount
用法筆記
Mostly appears in formal writing with numbers, sizes, or totals. Unlike sense 19, it does not compare kinds; it only gives an approximate figure.
常見錯誤
21. in biology, a named rank that includes one or more related families of plants or
in biology, a named rank that includes one or more related families of plants or animals.
Owls and eagles belong to different orders in bird classification.
belong to different orders
The teacher drew the order above the family on the chart.
the order above the family
This insect order includes many kinds of butterfly and moth.
Students learned that bats form an order separate from birds.
- taxonomic rank
the general scientific term for a named level
- classification level
clear explanation for learners
- biological group
broader and less exact than the technical term
文法句型
belong to an order
the order above the family
insect order
用法筆記
Used in scientific classification and often followed by a Latin or English group name. An order sits above a family and below a class.
常見錯誤
22. in Greek and Roman building, a named style identified by its columns and the bea
in Greek and Roman building, a named style identified by its columns and the beam above them.
The museum entrance uses the Doric order with plain heavy columns.
the Doric order
Our guide compared the Ionic order with the simpler Doric.
the Ionic order
The architect chose a Roman order for the town hall porch.
A broken stone showed which order once stood around the temple.
- architectural style
broader and less technical
- classical style
good learner explanation, but not only about columns
- column style
informal explanation focusing on the visible feature
文法句型
the Doric order
the Ionic order
the Corinthian order
用法筆記
Often appears with names such as 'Doric', 'Ionic', and 'Corinthian'. It refers to a full classical design system, not just one column by itself.