Command (noun) refers to an authoritative instruction or directive issued by someone in a position of power, or the act of commanding or directing. It can also denote a military or formal order, or control over a situation. The term conveys authority, governance, and the ability to compel action.
- You might default to a flat, one-syllable pronunciation or misplace the stress on the first syllable. To correct: practice the two-syllable rhythm with clear /ə/ or /ɪ/ onset and a strong /mand/ tail. - Another frequent error is vowel drift in the second syllable (e.g., /æ/ or /ɒ/)*; choose your accent's standard vowel (/æ/ for US short 'a' in /mand/ or /ɑː/ UK long). Practice listening for the exact second-syllable vowel and keep it consistent. - People sometimes drop the final /d/ in rapid speech, especially in casual contexts. Ensure final /d/ is audible, and practice slow; your pace should not erase the /d/.
- US: emphasize rhoticity, ensure the second syllable vowel is /æ/ or /ɪ/ depending on speaker; UK: longer /ɑː/ in second syllable, avoid over-tilted mouth; AU: likely /æ/ or /ɒ/?; rely on standard dictionaries for precise mapping. - Vowel length: US tends to shorter vowels in unstressed syllables; UK vowels may be longer in careful speech. - Consonants: keep the /m/ and /n/ nasal quality clean; avoid linking to a following /r/ in US; in UK, avoid flapping the /t/ (not present here). - IPA cues: /kəˈmand/ (US) /kəˈmɑːnd/ (UK) /kəˈmænd/ (AU). Use mouth positions as described.
"The general gave a command to advance the troops."
"Her command of the language impressed the jury."
"A command from the manager ended the meeting early."
"He exercised command over the project with clear, decisive leadership."
Command comes from the Old French comand, from Latin mandare, meaning to entrust or to entrust someone with a task. The root Italian mandare and Latin mandare share the sense of placing a task into someone’s hands. In Medieval Latin, mando or mandare evolved to express entrusted instruction or authority, translating into English as command or mandate. The Proto-Indo-European root *man- relates to thinking, mind, or preparation, contributing to the sense of ordering or directing actions. In English, command entered Middle English via Old French mayne–cf. commanding orders, with the notion shifting from “entrustment” to “directive” and “control.” The word’s prominence grew in military and bureaucratic contexts, reinforcing its association with authority. Today, command retains both the abstract sense of authority and the concrete action of issuing directives, crossing into computing (command line) and general leadership language. First known use in English cites the late 14th century, aligning with the expansion of centralized governance and formalized instruction. The evolution mirrors social hierarchies: from entrusted power to formal edicts, while the phonology settled into the single-syllable, stressed form common today.
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Help others use "Command" correctly by contributing grammar tips, common mistakes, and context guidance.
💡 These words have similar meanings to "Command" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "Command" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "Command"
-and sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
🎵 Rhyme tip: Practicing with rhyming words helps you master similar sound patterns and improves your overall pronunciation accuracy.
US: /kəˈmand/ with a schwa in the first syllable and strong secondary vowel in the second; UK: /kəˈmɑːnd/ with a longer, open a in the second syllable; AU: /kəˈmænd/ with a short a /æ/ like 'man' in the second syllable. Stress falls on the second syllable. Tip: start with a light, neutral /k/ then push into a crisp /ɔ/ or /ɒ/ depending on accent, followed by /nd/.
Common errors include pronouncing the second syllable as /kɒmænd/ or /kəˈmænd/ with reduced vowel in the second syllable in non-rhotic dialects; misplacing stress entirely on the first syllable (ˈkɒmand) or conflating with 'command' (verb form) differently. Correction: ensure primary stress on the second syllable /ˈmand/ (US) or /ˈmɑːnd/ (UK) and use a clear, short initial /kə/ or /kæ/ onset depending on dialect, finishing with a crisp /nd/. Practice with minimal pairs to lock the stress.
US tends to reduce the first syllable to /kə/ and emphasize /ˈmand/ with a clear /æ/ or /ɑ/ depending on speaker; UK often uses /kəˈmɑːnd/ with a longer /ɑː/ in the second syllable and less rhoticity. Australian tends toward /kəˈmænd/ with a short vowel in the second syllable and a clipped /nd/. Pay attention to rhotics: US is rhotic, UK and AU can be non-rhotic or variable in casual speech; vowel length and quality in the second syllable influence perceived formality.
Difficulties center on the second syllable’s vowel quality and the /nd/ cluster, which can be softened or elided in fast speech. The primary stress on the second syllable contrasts with many two-syllable nouns, and non-native speakers may misplace stress, say /ˈkɒm.ænd/ or omit the /d/ sound. Focusing on the exact vowel (/æ/ vs /ɑː/) and the /nd/ closure helps improve accuracy and reduces vowel length variability in rapid speech.
Is there a notable difference in how the /ɡ/ consonant behaves in any related forms of command such as 'commanding' or 'commander' that can influence perception of the base noun? In connected speech, the base noun remains /kəˈmand/US or /kəˈmɑːnd/UK, while the -ing form or -er suffix changes the duration and possible assimilation, but the core is stable and the second syllable remains stressed. This ensures clarity in directive contexts.
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- Shadowing: listen to a native speaker saying "command" in sentences: I will command the troops. Then imitate with equal length; record yourself and compare. - Minimal pairs: command vs commend; command vs commend? (note: commend is different stress). Use: command vs commend; command vs com mend? Not helpful. Create minimal pairs focusing on second syllable vowel: /əˈmand/ vs /əˈmænd/; practice isolations: /kə/ + /mand/. - Rhythm practice: practice two-syllable cadence: slow: /kə/ + /mand/; normal: /kəˈmand/; fast: maintain crisp /nd/ onset. - Stress practice: place stress on second syllable; in phrases, stress can shift: "to command respect"; ensure the stressed syllable remains prominent. - Context sentences: 2 context sentences, one formal, one casual. - Recording: use smartphone to record; compare with reference audio.
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