ordainverb
uk/ɔːˈdeɪn/us/ɔːrˈdeɪn/ordain verb (CHURCH)
[ T often passive ] to officially make someone a priest or other religious leader, in a religious ceremony:
He was ordained (as) a priest in Ely cathedral in 1987.
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Religious ceremonies & prayers
- alleluia
- amen
- anoint
- baptism
- bar mitzvah
- blessing
- burnt offering
- confirm
- confirmation
- consecrate
- creed
- dedicate
- devotion
- incense
- liturgy
- matins
- ordination
- Our Father
- pray
- sermon
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ordain verb (ORDER)
[ T ] formal (of God or someone in authority) to order something to happen:
There is strong support here for the tough economic reforms ordained in the federal capital, Prague.
[ + that ] humorous I don't know who came up with the idea, but the city council has ordained that all the local libraries will close on Mondays.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Giving orders & commands
- all-points bulletin
- behest
- boss
- bossyboots
- chain of command
- charge
- crack the whip idiom
- defy
- demand
- dun
- enjoin
- expect
- forget
- harry
- lay down the law idiom
- mandate
- order sb around
- overbearing
- prescribed
- steamroller
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