Definitions

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

  • transitive verb To seize for military or police use; confiscate.
  • transitive verb To take arbitrarily or by force: synonym: appropriate.
  • transitive verb To force into military service.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • To order (the enrolled militia) into active military service: originally with reference to the late Dutch republics of South Africa, which were charged with forcing aliens also into the military service.
  • To seize private property for military or other public use.
  • To seize public or private property for private use, under color of military necessity or right; steal from a helpless victim.
  • noun The act of commandeering.

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

  • transitive verb (Mil.) To compel to perform military service; to seize for military purposes; -- orig. used of the Boers.
  • transitive verb colloq. To take arbitrary or forcible possession of.

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

  • verb To seize for military use.
  • verb To force into military service.
  • verb To take arbitrarily or by force.

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

  • verb take arbitrarily or by force

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Afrikaans kommandeer, from early Modern Dutch commanderen, from French commander, to command, from Old French comander; see command.]

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Examples

  • But neither can the federal government force California to keep similar drug laws on its own books, nor to "commandeer" state agencies to enforce federal drug laws.

    David Borden: What's Up With Liberals Against Marijuana Legalization? David Borden 2010

  • But neither can the federal government force California to keep similar drug laws on its own books, nor to "commandeer" state agencies to enforce federal drug laws.

    David Borden: What's Up With Liberals Against Marijuana Legalization? David Borden 2010

  • In February, the Achenbaums sued Credit Suisse's Column Financial unit for wrongful termination in Miami-Dade County circuit court, alleging among other things that Column took steps to "commandeer" the hotel, replacing them with a hotel operator whose inexperience will "inevitably result in inferior services."

    Keeping Chic in a Miami Storm Laura Landro 2010

  • In February, the Achenbaums sued Credit Suisse's Column Financial unit for wrongful termination in Miami-Dade County circuit court, alleging among other things that Column took steps to "commandeer" the hotel, replacing them with a hotel operator whose inexperience will "inevitably result in inferior services."

    Keeping Chic in a Miami Storm Laura Landro 2010

  • But neither can the federal government force California to keep similar drug laws on its own books, nor to "commandeer" state agencies to enforce federal drug laws.

    David Borden: What's Up With Liberals Against Marijuana Legalization? David Borden 2010

  • In February, the Achenbaums sued Credit Suisse's Column Financial unit for wrongful termination in Miami-Dade County circuit court, alleging among other things that Column took steps to "commandeer" the hotel, replacing them with a hotel operator whose inexperience will "inevitably result in inferior services."

    Keeping Chic in a Miami Storm Laura Landro 2010

  • But neither can the federal government force California to keep similar drug laws on its own books, nor to "commandeer" state agencies to enforce federal drug laws.

    David Borden: What's Up With Liberals Against Marijuana Legalization? David Borden 2010

  • So, can local governments "commandeer" the time of private citizens for jury duty?

    Archive 2007-07-01 2007

  • So, can local governments "commandeer" the time of private citizens for jury duty?

    Jury Duty: Legit, or a Taking? 2007

  • Once he reached the manor, he would see Mero, and "commandeer" him to replace his sick servant.

    The Elvenbane Lackey, Mercedes 1991

Comments

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  • '(The form for commandeering a genuine NYC garbage truck MAY be 34 pages long, but one day I will think of a reason to fill it out, I swear to you.)' -the book Peeps, by Scott Westerfield

    February 18, 2008

  • Will Turner: We're going to steal a ship? That ship?

    Jack Sparrow: "Commandeer." We're going to commandeer that ship. Nautical term.

    -the movie Pirates of the Caribbean, Dead Man's Chest

    February 18, 2008