ORDINANCE

ordination, ordinance

(noun) the act of ordaining; the act of conferring (or receiving) holy orders; “the rabbi’s family was present for his ordination”

ordinance

(noun) a statute enacted by a city government

regulation, ordinance

(noun) an authoritative rule

Source: WordNet® 3.1

Etymology

Noun

ordinance (plural ordinances)

A local law (US)

An edict or decree, authoritative order.

(England) Prior to the Third English Civil War, a decree of Parliament.

(UK, pre-1992 universities, Commonwealth) Detailed legislation that translates the broad principles of the university's charter and statutes into practical effect.

A religious practice or ritual prescribed by the church.

Usage notes

This word is sometimes confused with ordnance, or military weaponry.

Anagrams

• draconine

Source: Wiktionary

Or"di*nance, n. Etym: [OE. ordenance, OF. ordenance, F. ordonnance. See Ordain, and cf. Ordnance, Ordonnance.]

1. Orderly arrangement; preparation; provision. [Obs.] Spenser. They had made their ordinance Of victual, and of other purveyance. Chaucer.

2. A rule established by authority; a permanent rule of action; a statute, law, regulation, rescript, or accepted usage; an edict or decree; esp., a local law enacted by a municipal government; as, a municipal ordinance. Thou wilt die by God's just ordinance. Shak. By custom and the ordinance of times. Shak. Walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. Luke i. 6.

Note: Acts of Parliament are sometimes called ordinances; also, certain colonial laws and certain acts of Congress under Confederation; as, the ordinance of 1787 for the government of the territory of the United States northwest of the Ohio River; the colonial ordinance of 1641, or 1647. This word is often used in Scripture in the sense of a law or statute of sovereign power. Ex. xv. 25. Num. x. 8. Ezra iii. 10. Its most frequent application now in the United States is to laws and regulations of municipal corporations. Wharton (Law Dict.).

3. (Eccl.)

Definition: An established rite or ceremony.

4. Rank; order; station. [Obs.] Shak.

5. Etym: [See Ordnance.]

Definition: Ordnance; cannon. [Obs.] Shak.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition