ordain

Everyday

1. (church) To ordain someone is to make them a priest, minister or rabbi in a special religious ceremony. tree →
2. (formal) To ordain something is to order or decide it officially, as a king or law does. tree →
3. (formal) To decide what will happen, as if by God or fate: «It was ordained that they would meet». tree →

In the lessons

In religious education a bishop ordains new priests; some churches ordain women and some do not. In old stories and formal writing a king may ordain a new law. Phrases: «be ordained a priest», «ordained minister», «divinely ordained».

Examples

• The bishop ordained three new priests. tree →
• My uncle was ordained a minister last summer. tree →
• Some churches ordain women as priests. tree →
• The king ordained that a feast be held. tree →
• The ceremony to ordain a priest is called ordination. tree →
• She felt it was ordained that she would become a nurse. tree →
• An ordained minister can lead a wedding service. tree →

Note

Regular verb, past «ordained». Noun: ordination. Formal word. Related: order, ordinance (a law).

In Jewish tradition

In Chronicles, David and Samuel set the gatekeepers and singers in their holy tasks in the Temple service.

Interpretation. Tradition sees Temple music and guarding as real service to God, given to the Levites. Later, rabbis were "ordained" (semikhah) by laying on of hands in a chain going back to Moses.

Examples

• These were reckoned by genealogy in their villages, whom David and Samuel the seer did ordain in their set office. (Writings 1CH.9.22, JPS 1917) tree →
• Then on that day did David first ordain to give thanks unto the LORD, by the hand of Asaph and his brethren. (Writings 1CH.16.7, JPS 1917) tree →

Note

Regular verb, past «ordained». Noun: ordination. Formal word. Related: order, ordinance (a law).