Decree

decree
    n 1: a legally binding command or decision entered on the court
         record (as if issued by a court or judge); "a friend in New
         Mexico said that the order caused no trouble out there"
         [syn: {decree}, {edict}, {fiat}, {order}, {rescript}]
    v 1: issue a decree; "The King only can decree"
    2: decide with authority; "The King decreed that all firstborn
       males should be killed" [syn: {rule}, {decree}]
    

Decree \De*cree"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Decreed}; p. pr. & vb.
   n. {Decreeing}.]
   1. To determine judicially by authority, or by decree; to
      constitute by edict; to appoint by decree or law; to
      determine; to order; to ordain; as, a court decrees a
      restoration of property.
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            Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be
            established unto thee.                --Job xxii.
                                                  28.
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   2. To ordain by fate.
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Decree \De*cree"\, n. [OE. decre, F. d['e]cret, fr. L. decretum,
   neut. decretus, p. p. of decernere to decide; de- + cernere
   to decide. See {Certain}, and cf. {Decreet}, {Decretal}.]
   1. An order from one having authority, deciding what is to be
      done by a subordinate; also, a determination by one having
      power, deciding what is to be done or to take place;
      edict, law; authoritative ru?? decision. "The decrees of
      Venice." --Sh???.
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            There went out a decree from C[ae]sar Augustus that
            all the world should be taxed.        --Luke ii. 1.
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            Poor hand, why quiverest thou at this decree?
                                                  --Shak.
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   2. (Law)
      (a) A decision, order, or sentence, given in a cause by a
          court of equity or admiralty.
      (b) A determination or judgment of an umpire on a case
          submitted to him. --Brande.
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   3. (Eccl.) An edict or law made by a council for regulating
      any business within their jurisdiction; as, the decrees of
      ecclesiastical councils.

   Syn: Law; regulation; edict; ordinance. See {Law}.
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Decree \De*cree"\, v. i.
   To make decrees; -- used absolutely.
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         Father eternal! thine is to decree;
         Mine, both in heaven and earth to do thy will.
                                                  --Milton.
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DECREE, practice. The judgment or sentence of a court of equity.
     2. It is either interlocutory or final. The former is given on some 
plea or issue arising in the cause, which does not decide the main question; 
the latter settles the matter in dispute, and a final decree has the same 
effect as a judgment at law. 2  Madd. Ch. 462; 1 Chan. Cas. 27; 2 Vern. 89; 
4 Bro. P. C. 287.; Vide 7r-Vin[?]. Ab. 394; 7 Com. Dig. 445; 1 Supp. to Ves. 
Jr. 223 Bouv. Inst. Index, h.t. 
    

DECREE, legislation. In some countries as in France, some acts of the 
legislature, or of the sovereign, which have the force of law, are called 
decrees; as, the Berlin and Milan decrees. 
    

176 Moby Thesaurus words for "decree":
      act, act on, action, adjudge, announcement, appointment, authorize,
      award, behest, bid, bidding, bill, brevet, bull, bylaw, call on,
      call the signals, call upon, canon, charge, charging, choose,
      choose to, command, commission, compel, condemn, condemnation,
      consideration, constitute, constrain, decide, decision,
      declaration, declare, declare lawful, decree-law, decreement,
      decretal, decretum, deliverance, demand, desire, determination,
      determine, diagnosis, dictate, dictation, dictum, diktat, direct,
      direction, directive, doom, edict, edictum, enact, enact laws,
      enactment, enjoin, establish, fiat, filibuster, find, find against,
      find for, finding, force, foredestiny, foregone conclusion,
      foreknowledge, foreordination, form, formality, formula, formulary,
      formulate, get the floor, give an order, give the word,
      have the floor, impose, injunction, institution, instruct,
      instruction, ipse dixit, issue a command, issue a writ, judgement,
      jus, kill, law, lay down, legalize, legislate, legislation,
      legitimate, legitimatize, legitimize, lex, lobby through, logroll,
      make a regulation, make legal, mandate, manifesto, measure,
      necessity, oblige, ordain, order, order about, ordinance,
      ordonnance, pass, pass judgment, pass sentence, pigeonhole, pocket,
      precedent, precept, predestination, predetermination,
      preordination, prescience, prescribe, prescript, prescription,
      proclaim, proclamation, prognosis, promulgate, promulgation,
      pronounce, pronounce judgment, pronounce on, pronouncement,
      pronunciamento, put in force, put through, railroad through,
      regulate, regulation, report, require, rescript, resolution,
      resolve, return a verdict, roll logs, rubric, rule, ruling,
      sanction, say the word, see fit, senatus consult,
      senatus consultum, sentence, set, standing order, statute, table,
      take the floor, think fit, think good, think proper, ukase,
      utter a judgment, validate, verdict, veto, will, wish,
      yield the floor