Countermand

C1 16+

Pronunciation: /ˈkaʊntərˌmænd/

Definitions of countermand

noun an official order to revoke a previous one

Example Sentences

A1 I received a countermand from my boss to cancel the meeting.

A2 The countermand of the order came too late for us to make changes.

B1 The manager issued a countermand to stop the project from proceeding.

B2 The countermand of the decision caused confusion among the team members.

C1 The president's countermand of the executive order surprised many people.

C2 The countermand of the military operation was met with strong opposition from the generals.

verb to revoke or cancel (an order)

Example Sentences

A1 The teacher countermanded the homework assignment.

A2 The manager countermanded the order for more supplies.

B1 The CEO countermanded the decision to lay off employees.

B2 The judge countermanded the previous ruling and ordered a retrial.

C1 The president has the power to countermand executive orders.

C2 The general countermanded the troops to retreat and regroup.

Examples of countermand in a Sentence

formal The general issued a countermand to halt the troops' advance.

informal I told him to cancel the order, but he countermanded me.

slang She tried to countermand my plans, but I went ahead anyway.

figurative His sudden change of heart countermanded all previous agreements.

Grammatical Forms of countermand

past tense

countermanded

plural

countermands

comparative

more countermanded

superlative

most countermanded

present tense

countermand

future tense

will countermand

perfect tense

have countermanded

continuous tense

is countermanding

singular

countermand

positive degree

countermand

infinitive

to countermand

gerund

countermanding

participle

countermanded

Origin and Evolution of countermand

First Known Use: 1250 year
Language of Origin: Old French and Latin
Story behind the word: The word 'countermand' originated from the Old French word 'contremander', which is derived from the Latin word 'contra' meaning against, and 'mandare' meaning to order.
Evolution of the word: Originally used in the 13th century to refer to the act of revoking or recalling an order, the meaning of 'countermand' has evolved to also include the idea of contradicting or opposing a command or instruction.