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REFERENCE

ordered

v. · adj.
US //ˈɔɹdɝd// UK //ˈɔːdəd// or·dered
  1. 1 requested food or goods (v.)
    A2 Elementary

    to have asked for food in a restaurant or bought something online.

    the past tense of 'order', referring to the act of requesting goods or services from a vendor.

    Example

    We ordered a large pizza and two salads for the party last night.

    Example

    The procurement department ordered the specialized laboratory equipment several months in advance to ensure it arrived before the research project commenced.
  2. 2 gave a command (v.)
    B1 Intermediate

    to have told someone they must do something because you have power over them.

    the past tense of 'order', denoting an authoritative command or instruction that must be followed.

    Example

    The officer ordered the soldiers to stop and wait for further instructions.

    Example

    The judge ordered the witness to answer the question directly, reminding them of their legal obligation to provide a full testimony.
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  1. 3 arranged in a sequence (v.)
    B1 Intermediate

    to have put things in a specific list or pattern, like by date or name.

    the past tense of 'order', referring to the systematic arrangement of items according to a specific criterion.

    Example

    She ordered the files by date so they were easier to find.

    Example

    The archivist ordered the historical documents chronologically, allowing researchers to trace the evolution of the city's urban planning over several decades.
  2. 4 tidy and organized (adj.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    neat, well-organized, and not messy.

    characterised by a state of neatness, discipline, or systematic arrangement.

    Example

    He has a very ordered way of working and never loses his notes.

    Example

    The professor maintained an exceptionally ordered office, with every volume on the shelves categorized by both subject matter and publication date.
  3. 5 mathematical sequence (adj.)
    C1 Advanced Technical Math

    describes a set of numbers or items that follow a strict rule or sequence.

    describing a set or structure equipped with a specific relation that determines the sequence of its elements.

    Example

    The computer program works best when the list of names is already ordered.

    Example

    In an ordered set, every pair of distinct elements can be compared to determine which one precedes the other according to a defined rule.
Idioms1 entry

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