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Command vs Warn - What's the difference?

command | warn |

In transitive terms the difference between command and warn

is that command is to hold, to control the use of while warn is to notify (someone) of something untoward.

In obsolete terms the difference between command and warn

is that command is to direct to come; to bestow while warn is to refuse, deny (someone something).

As a noun command

is an order to do something.

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

    warn

    English

    Etymology 1

    (etyl) warnian, from (etyl) . Cognate with German warnen, Dutch waarnen.

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To make (someone) aware of impending danger etc.
  • We waved a flag to warn the oncoming traffic.
  • To caution (someone) against unwise or unacceptable behaviour.
  • He was warned against crossing the railway tracks at night.
    Don't let me catch you running in the corridor again, I warn you.
  • To notify (someone) of something untoward.
  • I phoned to warn him of the rail strike.
  • To give warning.
  • * 1526 , William Tyndale, tr. Bible , Galatians II, 9-10:
  • then Iames Cephas and Iohn [...] agreed with vs that we shuld preache amonge the Hethen and they amonge the Iewes: warnynge only that we shulde remember the poore.
  • * 1973 , Thomas Pynchon, Gravity's Rainbow , Penguin 1995, p. 177:
  • She is his deepest innocence in spaces of bough and hay before wishes were given a different name to warn that they might not come true [...].
  • * 1988 , Salman Rushdie, The Satanic Verses , Picador 2000, p. 496:
  • She warned that he was seriously thinking of withdrawing his offer to part the waters, ‘so that all you'll get at the Arabian Sea is a saltwater bath [...]’.
  • * 1991 , Clive James, ‘Making Programmes the World Wants’, The Dreaming Swimmer , Jonathan Cape 1992:
  • Every country has its resident experts who warn that imported television will destroy the national consciousness and replace it with Dallas'', ''The Waltons'', ''Star Trek'' and ''Twin Peaks .
    Usage notes
    * The intransitive sense is considered colloquial by some, and is explicitly proscribed by, for example, the Daily Telegraph style guide (which prefers give warning).
    Derived terms
    * warner * warning * warn off

    Etymology 2

    From a combination of (etyl) wiernan (from (etyl) ; compare Swedish varna).

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • (label) To refuse, deny (someone something).
  • *:
  • *:And yf thou warne' her loue she shalle goo dye anone yf thou haue no pyte on her / that sygnefyeth the grete byrd / the whiche shalle make the to ' warne her