ordinance

plural ordinances · alternative obsolete ordinaunce

1. UScountableuncountableA local law, passed by e.g. a city.

   Alderman Richard Mell then pushed through antipeddling ordinances in the 33rd and 47th wards.

   1997 May 9, Neal Pollack, “The Pushcart War”, in Chicago Reader

   2 more examples

   Enactive. Expositive. / Art. 57. XIII 2. The Registrative, or say Recordative: exercised, by the arrangements and operations, by which, in conformity to corresponding ordinances and mandates, the accounts, given at different periods by the exercise of the statistic function, are kept in contiguity, and in a regular series, for the purpose of reference and comparison.

   1830, Jeremy Bentham, Constitutional code: for the use all nations and all governments ..., volume 1, page 251

   According to the weatherperson, spring arrived in Hartford, Conn., on Monday, March 20 at 6:34 p.m. But gay people here didn't need a weatherperson to feel the gust of fresh air at a hearing on the proposed gay rights ordinance before the City Council that night at 7:30.

   1978 April 8, Eric Gordon, “Hartford Hears Testimony on Gay Rights Bill”, in Gay Community News, page 1

   Synonyms: bylaw

2. An edict or decree, authoritative order.
   1. EnglandcountableuncountablePrior to the Third English Civil War, a decree of Parliament.
   2. CommonwealthUKcountableuncountablepre-1992 universitiesDetailed legislation that translates the broad principles of the university's charter and statutes into practical effect.
   3. Hong KongcountableuncountableA law enacted by the Hong Kong Legislative Council.
   4. IndiaPakistancountableuncountableA temporary legislation promulgated by the president on the recommendation of the cabinet.
3. countableuncountableA religious practice or ritual prescribed by a church.
4. alternativecountableproscribeduncountableAlternative form of ordnance (“military equipment, especially artillery”).

   Let all the Battlements their Ordinance fire, / The King shal drinke to Hamlets better breath,

   c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene ii]

   4 more examples

   [T]he ſayd gunnes beeing able to hurt but a ſmall diſtance off, and the Iaponians being furniſhed with bꝛazen oꝛdinance vnknowen vnto the Corayans, they pꝛeſently dꝛaue them from their walles, […]

   1600, Richard Hakluyt, “The Second Testimonie Containing the Huge Leuies and Preparations of Quabacondono, […]”, in The Third and Last Volume of the Voyages, Nauigations, Traffiques, and Discoueries of the English Nation, […], 2nd edition, London: […] George Bishop, Ralfe Newberie, and Robert Barker, →OCLC, page 857

   The battered walls of Fort Sumter were reinforced, and heavier caliber ordinance was mounted in the embrasures, doubling the firepower, […]

   2001 November 16, Andrew E. Mathis, The King Arthur Myth in Modern American Literature, McFarland, →ISBN, page 196

   The ordinance officer at Fort Ridgely had packed.62 caliber rather than .58 caliber ammunition. There was no point in any of the men remonstrating over the stupidity of the ordinance officer.

   2012 03, John Christgau, Birch Coulie: The Epic Battle of the Dakota War, U of Nebraska Press, →ISBN, page 57

   Large caliber ordinance was already ripping into the floor just in front of them. She grabbed his arm and shouted the best she could, “Do you know how ... to fire a weapon, Skully?”

   2012 July 13, Gerard de Marigny, Rise to the Call, JarRyJorNo Publishing, →ISBN