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# ordained

verb past form (ordain, ordains, ordained, ordaining); adjective (ordained)

«ordained» in the English dictionary: everyday and in Jewish tradition — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. Ordained means made a priest, minister or religious leader in a special ceremony. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/ordained/#m1)
2. (formal) Ordained means ordered or decided by someone with power, like a law or a king. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/ordained/#m2)
3. Ordained can mean decided by fate or by God. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/ordained/#m3)

### In the lessons

It appears in religious education and history about priests, ministers and rabbis. In old stories it shows something was meant to happen or was commanded. Phrases: «be ordained a priest», «ordained minister», «divinely ordained».

### Examples

- He was ordained a priest last year. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/ordained/#x1)
- She is an ordained minister in her church. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/ordained/#x2)
- The ordained leader blessed the children. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/ordained/#x3)
- The king ordained that a feast be held. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/ordained/#x4)
- In the story, it seemed ordained that they would meet. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/ordained/#x5)
- Only ordained ministers could lead the service. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/ordained/#x6)
- Our vicar was ordained in the cathedral. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/ordained/#x7)
- The rules were ordained long ago. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/ordained/#x8)
- And so the Emperor ordained that a bridge should be made the whole way. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/ordained/#x9)

### Note

Regular verb: ordain, ordained. Mostly used in the passive: «was ordained». Formal or religious word; ordinary speech uses «made a priest» or «ordered». Related noun: ordination.

## In Jewish tradition

Here it means set up or established by God, as in "God ordained a covenant."

**Interpretation.** Sefer Yetzirah says God set a covenant on the toes and on the fingers, and that He made the thirty-two paths of wisdom, which the tradition counts as the ten Sefirot and twenty-two letters.

### Examples

- God ordained a covenant between the toes of his feet, that of circumcision; and a covenant between the fingers of his hands, that of the Tongue. (Sefer Yetzirah, Westcott 1887) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/O/ordained/#x1)
- Thirty-two mysterious ways has the Lord, Lord of hosts, ordained through Scribe, Script, and Scroll. (Mordell, The Origin of Letters and Numerals according to Sefer Yetzirah (1914)) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/O/ordained/#x2)
- "Thirty-two mysterious ways has the Lord, the Lord of hosts, ordained through Scribe, Script and Scroll." (Mordell, The Origin of Letters and Numerals according to Sefer Yetzirah (1914)) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/O/ordained/#x3)
- Thou hast ordained Thy precepts, that we should observe them diligently. (Writings PSA.119.4, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/O/ordained/#x4)
- O LORD, Thou hast ordained them for judgment, and Thou, O Rock, hast established them for correction. (Prophets HAB.1.12, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/O/ordained/#x5)

### Note

Regular verb: ordain, ordained. Mostly used in the passive: «was ordained». Formal or religious word; ordinary speech uses «made a priest» or «ordered». Related noun: ordination.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «ordained» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/O/ordained/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«ordained» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/ordained.html) on Mova free.
- [Trees and pragmatics of «ordained» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/O/ordained/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«ordained» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/judaism/w/ordained.html) on Mova free.