It is common for an educated person to seek the meaning and definition of unfamiliar words. This allows you to constantly improve and replenish the vocabulary. But what happens when he meets a word or expression familiar from childhood? Most often, they are not even interested in origin. This leads to the fact that some words are used incorrectly, with a distorted meaning.
The word “order” refers to such acquaintances from childhood. Very few people are interested in the definition, because this noun seems to have been driven into memory by my mother in early childhood.
Etymology of the word “order”
For some people, the meaning of the word “order” comes down to cleanliness and grooming. However, etymology prescribes a completely different meaning. The root of the word, from a grammatical point of view, is “row”. In ancient Greek, this part (ar-) was understood as a connection, a binding. Many peoples associated the verb “bind” with rows of vertical weaving warp threads.
In the ancient Slavic language, the word "rat" was used. It was even mentioned in the epic with the meaning of world order. By noun was meant a line, row or order. In this sense, some countries had in mind class, correctness, consistency, order, orderliness.
The same root (rat) had many other words of that time. For example: sequence, control, rule. More meaningful meanings with this root are: rowing, weapons, true, private, army. Some linguists associate the root “rat” with the English “arm”, that is, the hand. Developing this opinion, they argue that the same root applies not only to the brush, but also to the creators: artists, artists.
To define the “order” in our time, without losing the etymological meaning, we can consider the word in context. With the original meaning, the word is used in phrases:
- procedure;
- order of events;
- state everything in order.
Variants of the modern meaning of the word
Although the noun took its origin from the sequence, at the moment the Russian language has brought many lexical meanings of the word “order”:
- The sequence of actions, events, series - the etymological meaning used today.
- Keeping something clean and orderly. For example: keep the room in order, maintain order on the table.
- Compliance with certain rules in any way, prescribed directions. Example: testament order, government order.
- The construction of warriors. Use: battle formation system, military movement.
- The mathematical numerical designation. For example: an order of magnitude higher, a first-order curve.
- Adhering to a regime or routine is a sequentially temporary meaning. The order of the day, the order of nutrition.
- Biological term implying close proximity of families. The next level after order is class.
Conversation
When talking, you can hear something like: “Order! He did everything! ” or “Don’t worry, I’m completely in order!” In this case, the person assures the interlocutor that everything is fine.
Another colloquial use of the word “order” is the determination of the relativity of what has been said. A synonym for this value is about. For example: bought about 7 kilograms of apples; walked about 6 kilometers.
In conversation, some words may be slightly distorted. This happened with the word “order”. Speaking of unspoken rules, of what is supposed to be done, a person can say: “for order”.
Wanting to show the naturalness of what is happening, they can say: “Do not worry, this is in the order of things.” They want to explain with this phrase that an action or event is habitual, it is not the first time that has happened.
To force someone to follow generally accepted rules, they usually “call for order”.
Sometimes they want to convince the interlocutor that everything is going according to a predetermined plan, everything is under control. In such a situation, it is customary to say: “Things are going on as usual.”
Conclusion
It is worth agreeing that the majority did not even think that the word “order” has so many meanings. The main application remains the definition of order as:
- Keeping or maintaining cleanliness and orderliness.
- Compliance with a certain sequence of cases or events.
- The correctness of what is being done or happening.
The basic rule of using words with so many meanings is not to get confused in all its diversity. By studying the definition of familiar phrases and expressions, you can avoid their misuse.