Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • adjective Free from disorder; neat or well-arranged.
  • adjective Having a systematic arrangement.
  • adjective Given to keeping things neat or well-arranged.
  • adjective Adhering or conforming to a method or system.
  • adjective Devoid of violence or disruption; peaceful.
  • noun An attendant who does routine, nonmedical work in a hospital.
  • noun A soldier assigned to attend and perform various tasks for a superior officer.
  • adverb Systematically; regularly.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • According to due order; regularly; duly; properly; decorously.
  • Conformed or conforming to good order or arrangement; characterized by method or regularity, or by conformity to established order; regular; methodical; harmonious.
  • In accordance with established regulations; duly authorized.
  • Observant of rule or discipline; not unruly; without uproar; deliberate; peaceful or proper in behavior.
  • Milit., of or pertaining to orders, or to the communication or execution of orders; on duty: as, orderly drummer; orderly room.
  • Peaceable, quiet, well-behaved.
  • noun A private soldier or a non-commissioned officer who attends on a superior officer to carry orders or messages.
  • noun An attendant in a ward of a hospital whose duty it is to keep order among the patients, see to their wants, preserve cleanliness, etc.
  • noun One who keeps things in order generally and preserves neatness. See the quotation.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • adverb According to due order; regularly; methodically; duly.
  • noun (Mil.) A noncommissioned officer or soldier who attends a superior officer to carry his orders, or to render other service.
  • noun engraving A street sweeper.
  • adjective Conformed to order; in order; regular.
  • adjective Observant of order, authority, or rule; hence, obedient; quiet; peaceable; not unruly
  • adjective Performed in good or established order; well-regulated.
  • adjective Being on duty; keeping order; conveying orders.
  • adjective (Mil.) a book for every company, in which the general and regimental orders are recorded.
  • adjective the officer of the day, or that officer of a corps or regiment whose turn it is to supervise for the day the arrangements for food, cleanliness, etc.
  • adjective The office of the commanding officer, usually in the barracks, whence orders emanate.
  • adjective the first sergeant of a company.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adjective Neat and tidy; possessing order.
  • adjective Methodical or systematic.
  • adjective Peaceful; well-behaved.
  • noun A hospital attendant given a variety of non-medical duties.
  • noun A soldier who carries out minor tasks for a superior officer.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • adjective devoid of violence or disruption
  • noun a soldier who serves as an attendant to a superior officer
  • adjective clean or organized
  • noun a male hospital attendant who has general duties that do not involve the medical treatment of patients

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From order +‎ -ly.

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Examples

  • But for the first time today, the White House says they're looking at what they call orderly bankruptcy as an option.

    CNN Transcript Dec 18, 2008 2008

  • But for the first time today, the White House said it is looking at what they call orderly bankruptcy as an option.

    CNN Transcript Dec 18, 2008 2008

  • Instead, the directors, who include former PricewaterhouseCooper director John Barnsley, Richard Christou, formerly of Fujitsu Services and David Verey, previously chairman of Lazard Brothers, are supporting what they call an "orderly wind-down".

    Telegraph.co.uk - Telegraph online, Daily Telegraph and Sunday Telegraph Jonathan Russell 2011

  • I must mention that the word 'orderly' as understood by us in India means one who has to accompany a sovereign or Prince or other high person of rank on horseback.

    Telegraph.co.uk - Telegraph online, Daily Telegraph and Sunday Telegraph 2011

  • Just outside Palm Springs, California, where the mountains part to create the San Gorgonio Pass, cool Pacific air sweeps toward the inland desert through acre after acre of rusting, derelict wind turbines that stretch to the horizon in orderly columns like soldiers in formation.

    The Elusive Green Economy 2009

  • Vol. 2 touches upon a Wong Family & their partial in orderly crime.

    Batin Itam: The Li Blood Line admin 2009

  • Then inflate the rest away in orderly fashion, while ameliorating the inflation damage to the poor and middle income.

    Matthew Yglesias » Slumping for How Long 2009

  • Vol. 2 touches upon a Wong Family & their partial in orderly crime.

    Archive 2009-12-01 admin 2009

  • He arranged his dirty dishes on the carpet in orderly piles, subduing its brightness.

    Wintering at Montauk Jane Ciabattari 2010

  • Verana ignored their blandishments as she made her way through the throng, at last discovering a mass of grey tents erected in orderly fashion near one of the walls.

    The Gauntlet Thrown Chapter Thirty Six xcpublishing 2009

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