Meanings
phrase
- Used wryly when someone attempts to justify questionable actions by referring to rules, laws or orders from higher up.
Origin
- GermanBefehl ist Befehl“order is order”
- Englishorders are orders
Calque of German Befehl ist Befehl (“order is order”), used as a defence during the Nuremberg trials (see Nuremberg defense).
More words from German
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Dutch bevel is bevel, Befehl ist Befehl
- bevel is bevelTranslations
- Befehl ist BefehlTranslations
Finnish käsky on käsky
- käsky on käskyTranslations
French les ordres sont les ordres
- les ordres sont les ordresTranslations
German Befehl ist Befehl
- Befehl ist BefehlTranslations
Hungarian a parancs az parancs
- a parancs az parancsTranslations
Italian gli ordini sono ordini
- gli ordini sono ordiniTranslations
Polish rozkaz to rozkaz
- rozkaz to rozkazTranslations
Russian приказ есть приказ
- приказ есть приказ (prikaz jestʹ prikaz)Translations
Spanish órdenes son órdenes
- órdenes son órdenesTranslations
Cite this entry
APA
orders are orders. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/orders%20are%20orders
MLA
“orders are orders.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/orders%20are%20orders. Accessed November 4, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “orders are orders,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/orders%20are%20orders.
Source: orders are orders on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.