general order

noun

, Military.

1. any one of a set of permanent orders from a headquarters establishing policy for a command or announcing official acts.
2. any one of a set of permanent orders governing the duties and behavior of sentries on routine guard duty.

Word History and Origins

Origin of general order¹

First recorded in 1865–70

Example Sentences

A spokesperson from the DWP said power poles are required to be clear from all obstructions according to General Order 95 of the California Public Utilities Commission.

From Los Angeles Times

To spread the word about freedom, Granger and more than 2,000 Union soldiers marched to public buildings and even a church to read the General Order, No. 3., part of which declared:

From National Geographic Kids

A general order was issued, directing that “such unwarlike activity must cease.”

From Literature

To spread the word about freedom, Granger and more than 2,000 Union soldiers marched to public buildings and even a church to read the General Order, No. 3., part of which declared:

From National Geographic Kids

We have a standing general order that requires pretty immediate reporting of crashes.

From Seattle Times