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Command vs Master - What's the difference?

command | master |

In transitive terms the difference between command and master

is that command is to hold, to control the use of while master is to learn to a high degree of proficiency.

As an adjective master is

masterful.

command

English

Noun

(en noun)
  • An order to do something.
    • I was given a command to cease shooting.
  • The right or authority to order, control or dispose of; the right to be obeyed or to compel obedience.
    • to have command of an army
  • power of control, direction or disposal; mastery.
    • he had command of the situation
    England has long held command of the sea
    a good command of language
  • A position of chief authority; a position involving the right or power to order or control.
    • General Smith was placed in command .
  • The act of commanding; exercise or authority of influence.
    • Command cannot be otherwise than savage, for it implies an appeal to force, should force be needful.'' (''H. Spencer , Social Statics, p. 180)
  • (military) A body or troops, or any naval or military force, under the control of a particular officer; by extension, any object or body in someone's charge.
  • * 1899 ,
    • I asked myself what I was to do there, now my boat was lost. As a matter of fact, I had plenty to do in fishing my command out of the river.
  • Dominating situation; range or control or oversight; extent of view or outlook.
  • (computing) A directive to a computer program acting as an interpreter of some kind, in order to perform a specific task.
  • (baseball) The degree of control a pitcher has over his pitches.
    • He's got good command tonight.

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To order, give orders; to compel or direct with authority.
    • The soldier was commanded to cease firing.
    The king commanded his servant to bring him dinner.
  • * Francis Bacon
    • We are commanded' to forgive our enemies, but you never read that we are ' commanded to forgive our friends.
  • * Shakespeare
    • Go to your mistress: / Say, I command her come to me.
  • To have or exercise supreme power, control or authority over, especially military; to have under direction or control.
    • to command an army or a ship
  • * Macaulay
    • Monmouth commanded the English auxiliaries.
  • * Shakespeare
    • Such aid as I can spare you shall command .
  • To require with authority; to demand, order, enjoin.
    • he commanded silence
    If thou be the son of God, command that these stones be made bread. (Mat. IV. 3.)
  • * 2013 , Louise Taylor, English talent gets left behind as Premier League keeps importing'' (in ''The Guardian , 20 August 2013)[http://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2013/aug/19/english-talent-premier-league-importing]
    • The reasons for this growing disconnect are myriad and complex but the situation is exacerbated by the reality that those English players who do smash through our game's "glass ceiling" command radically inflated transfer fees.
  • to dominate through ability, resources, position etc.; to overlook.
    • Bridges commanded by a fortified house. (Motley.)
  • To exact, compel or secure by influence; to deserve, claim.
    • A good magistrate commands the respect and affections of the people.
    Justice commands the respect and affections of the people.
    The best goods command the best price.
    This job commands a salary of £30,000.
  • To hold, to control the use of.
    • The fort commanded the bay.
  • * Motley
    • bridges commanded by a fortified house
  • * Shakespeare
    • Up to the eastern tower, / Whose height commands as subject all the vale.
  • * Addison
    • One side commands a view of the finest garden.
  • (archaic) To have a view, as from a superior position.
  • * Milton
    • Far and wide his eye commands .
  • (obsolete) To direct to come; to bestow.
  • * Bible, Leviticus xxv. 21
    • I will command my blessing upon you.

    Synonyms

    * (give an order) decree, order

    Derived terms

    * chain of command * commandable * command economy * commandeer * commander * commandery * command guidance * commanding * command key * command language * command line * commandment * command module * command performance * command post * high command * second in command * self-command * trains command * your wish is my command

    References

    * *

    Statistics

    * English control verbs

    master

    English

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl) maister, mayster, meister, from (etyl) ). Reinforced by (etyl) maistre, mestre from the same Latin source.

    Alternative forms

    * (l) (dialectal), (l) (dialectal) * mastre (obsolete)

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • Someone who has control over something or someone.
  • * Addison
    • master of a hundred thousand drachms
  • * Jowett (Thucyd.)
    • We are masters of the sea.
  • *
    • , title=(The Celebrity), chapter=4 , passage=The Celebrity, by arts unknown, induced Mrs. Judge Short and two other ladies to call at Mohair on an afternoon when Mr. Cooke was trying a trotter on the track.
  • The owner of an animal or slave.
  • (nautical) The captain of a merchant ship; a master mariner.
  • Someone who employs others.
  • *
    • , title=(The Celebrity), chapter=4 , passage=No matter how early I came down, I would find him on the veranda, smoking cigarettes, or otherwise his man would be there with a message to say that his master would shortly join me if I would kindly wait.}}
  • An expert at something.
  • * Macaulay
    • great masters of ridicule
  • * John Locke
    • No care is taken to improve young men in their own language, that they may thoroughly understand and be masters of it.
  • A tradesman who is qualified to teach apprentices.
  • (dated) A schoolmaster.
  • A skilled artist.
  • (dated) A man or a boy; mister. See Master.
  • * Jonathan Swift
    • Where there are little masters and misses in a house, they are impediments to the diversions of the servants.
  • A master's degree; a type of postgraduate degree, usually undertaken after a bachelor degree.
  • A person holding such a degree.
  • The original of a document or of a recording.
  • (film) The primary wide shot of a scene, into which the closeups will be edited later.
  • (legal) A parajudicial officer (such as a referee, an auditor, an examiner, or an assessor) specially appointed to help a court with its proceedings.
  • (engineering) A device that is controlling other devices or is an authoritative source (e.g. master database).
  • A person holding an office of authority among the Freemasons, especially the presiding officer; also, a person holding a similar office in other civic societies.
    • Synonyms
    * (sense, master's degree) masters, master's * (sense, master's degree) magistrate (Quebec English) * (film) establishing shot, long shot * (ship) skipper, captain * See also
    Derived terms
    (master) * ballet master * barmaster * beemaster * bergmaster * boroughmaster * brewmaster * burghomaster * burgomaster * bushmaster * chess master * cockmaster * concertmaster * craftsmaster * dockmaster * drill master/drillmaster * games master/games-master * Grand Master/grandmaster * harbor master/harbor-master/harbormaster * headmaster * house master/housemaster * ironmaster * * jumpmaster * loadmaster * lockmaster * master bedroom * master bricklayer * master builder * master card * master cast * master class * master copy * master cylinder * master file * master gland * master key * master mariner * master mason * Master of Arts * master of ceremonies * Master of Science * master plan/master-plan/masterplan * master race * master sergeant * master status * master tradesman * master trust * master-at-arms * masterdom * masterful * masterhood * masterless * masterly * mastermind * masterous * masterpiece * Masters * mastership * mastersinger * masterstroke * masterwork * mastery * metal master * mint-master * old master * past master * paymaster * postmaster * property master * puppet master/puppet-master/puppetmaster * quartermaster * question master/question-master/questionmaster * quizmaster * rattlesnake master * ringmaster * roaming master * saymaster * schoolmaster * scoutmaster * sheepmaster * shipmaster * spymaster * stationmaster * taskmaster * toastmaster * trackmaster * trainmaster * undermaster * watermaster * webmaster * weighmaster * whoremaster * workmaster * wreck master/wreck-master/wreckmaster * yardmaster
    Related terms
    * mistress (feminine form of "master")
    See also
    * (l) * (l)

    Adjective

    (-)
  • Masterful.
  • Main, principal or predominant.
  • Highly skilled.
  • Original.

    • Verb

    (en verb)
  • To become the master of; to subject to one's will, control, or authority; to conquer; to overpower; to subdue.
  • * (and other bibliographic details) (John Locke)
    • Obstinacy and willful neglects must be mastered , even though it cost blows.
  • * 1898 , , (Moonfleet) Chapter 4
    • Then Elzevir cried out angrily, 'Silence. Are you mad, or has the liquor mastered you? Are you Revenue-men that you dare shout and roister? or contrabandiers with the lugger in the offing, and your life in your hand. You make noise enough to wake folk in Moonfleet from their beds.'
  • To learn to a high degree of proficiency.
    • It took her years to master the art of needlecraft.
  • (obsolete) To own; to posses.
  • * (and other bibliographic details) (Shakespeare)
    • the wealth that the world masters
  • To make a master copy of.
  • To earn a Master's degree.
    • He mastered in English at the state college.
    Derived terms
    (Terms derived from the noun "master") * bemaster * masterable * overmaster * remaster

    Etymology 2

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (nautical, in combination) A vessel having a specified number of masts.
    • a two-master

    Statistics

    *

    Anagrams

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