orderly

• ordrely (obsolete)

From order +‎ -ly.

• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈɔɹdɚli/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈɔːdəli/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Hyphenation: or‧der‧ly

orderly (comparative more orderly, superlative most orderly)

1. Neat and tidy; possessing order.

   He has always kept an orderly kitchen, with nothing out of place.

2. Methodical or systematic.

   We live in an orderly universe, where rules govern both the movements of planets and the binding of molecules.

3. Peaceful; well-behaved.

   An orderly gathering of citizens stood on the corner awaiting the bus.

4. Being on duty; keeping order; conveying orders.
   • 1814 July 7, [Walter Scott], Waverley; […], volumes (please specify |volume=I to III), Edinburgh:  […] James Ballantyne and Co. for Archibald Constable and Co.; London: Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown, →OCLC:

     aids-de-camp and orderly men

• (possessing order): regular, trim, well-kept; see also Thesaurus:orderly
• (methodical or systematic): See also Thesaurus:methodical

• orderliness

orderly (plural orderlies)

1. A hospital attendant given a variety of non-medical duties.
2. (military) A soldier who carries out minor tasks for a superior officer.

   Synonym: batman

orderly (comparative more orderly, superlative most orderly)

1. (now rare) According to good order or practice; appropriately, in a well-behaved or orderly (adjective) way. [from 15th c.]
   • c. 1590–1592 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Taming of the Shrew”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene ii]:

     You are blunt; go to it orderly.

   • 1991, Chor-San Heng Khoo, Physics of Liquid Crystalline Materials, CRC Press, →ISBN, page 33:

     Phase R: the rods are linked three by three and form planar twodimensional hexagonal networks. In both cases, the networks are orderly stacked in a three-dimensional lattice.

   • 2014, Huei-Huang Lee, Finite Element Simulations with ANSYS Workbench 15: Theory, Applications, Case Studies, SDC Publications, →ISBN, page 191:

     The rectangles are orderly stacked with the topmost rectangle representing the most visible entity and subsequent rectangles representing entities underneath the mouse cursor, front to back.

2. (obsolete) In order; in a particular order or succession; with a suitable arrangement. [15th–19th c.]
   • 1567, Ovid, translated by Arthur Golding, Metamorphoses, section I:

     The earth from heaven, the sea from earth, he parted orderly, / And from the thicke and foggie ayre, he tooke the lightsome skie.

   • 1603, Michel de Montaigne, chapter 12, in John Florio, transl., The Essayes […], book II, London: […] Val[entine] Simmes for Edward Blount […], →OCLC:

     Thus orderly marshaled, they take their course and swim whither their journey tends, as broad and wide behind as before […].

   • 1624, John Smith, Generall Historie, Kupperman, published 1988, page 149:

     And in the Tombe which is an arch made of mats, they lay them orderly.

• (in order): methodically, systematically; see also Thesaurus:methodically

• ordrely