command
n. C / Un. an order given by someone in power, or a specific instruction you give to a computer. It also means having a great knowledge of a subject or language.
n. an authoritative order or instruction; also, the ability to use or control something effectively, such as a language or a technical skill.
The soldier followed the captain's command.
You can type a simple command into the terminal to restart the entire system.
Her impressive command of several European languages made her the ideal candidate for the diplomatic mission to the United Nations.
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *ḱe Proto-Indo-European *ḱóm Proto-Italic *kom Proto-Italic *kom- Latin con- Proto-Indo-European *(s)meh₂-der. Proto-Italic *manus Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁- Proto-Indo-European *dʰéh₁tder. Proto-Italic *-ðō Proto-Italic *manuðō Latin mandō Latin commendō ▲ Latin mandōinflu. Latin commandāre Old French comanderbor. Middle English comaunden English command From Middle English commanden, commaunden, comaunden, comanden, from Old French comander, from Late Latin commandāre, from Latin commendāre. Ultimately from Latin com- + mandō (whence ultimately also commend (a doublet), mandate, and recommend), from manus + -dō. Compare typologically Russian поручи́ть (poručítʹ), поруче́ние (poručénije), руководи́ть (rukovodítʹ), руководи́тель (rukovodítelʹ) related to рука́ (ruká).
Countable when referring to a specific order or instruction; uncountable when referring to the general power of control or mastery of a skill.