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# decree

«decree» in Mova's school dictionary: **an official order given by a ruler, a government or a court** — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples, with 5 sentences of Mova's corpora that use it.

### part of speech

noun (a decree, decrees); verb (decree, decrees, decreed, decreeing)

### meaning for a pupil

1) A decree is an official order given by a ruler, a government or a court. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/decree/#m1)

2) To decree something is to order it officially. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/decree/#m2)

3) (Bible) In the Bible, Caesar Augustus sent out a decree that everyone must be counted, which is why Mary and Joseph went to Bethlehem. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/decree/#m3)

4) (law) A decree can be a court's decision, as in a divorce decree. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/decree/#m4)

### sense in the lessons

In history and RE pupils meet decrees of kings, emperors and popes; in the Christmas story the decree sends the family to Bethlehem. In stories a king decrees a feast or a law. Phrases: «issue a decree», «by royal decree», «decree that».

### examples

- The king issued a decree that all dogs must wear bells. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/decree/#x1)
- By royal decree, the day was a holiday. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/decree/#x2)
- «In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus,» the reader began. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/decree/#x3)
- The emperor decreed that a new road should be built. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/decree/#x4)
- The court gave its final decree on the divorce. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/decree/#x5)
- Mum decreed that there would be no screens at dinner. (humorous) [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/decree/#x6)
- So he had put forth a decree that whosoever should be able to make her laugh should marry her. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/decree/#x7)

### note

Stress on the second syllable: de-CREE. Verb forms: decreed, decreeing (keep both e's). Do not confuse with «degree» (a unit of temperature or angle, or a university qualification).

### In the corpora

- [Woe unto them that decree unrighteous decrees, and to the writers that write iniquity;](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/neviim/jps/ISA.211/)
- [He hath also established them for ever and ever; He hath made a decree which shall not be transgressed.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/ketuvim/jps/PSA.2673/)
- [By me kings reign, and princes decree justice.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/ketuvim/jps/PRO.218/)
- [Lest they drink, and forget that which is decreed, and pervert the justice due to any that is afflicted.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/ketuvim/jps/PRO.902/)
- [Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee, and light shall shine upon thy ways.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/ketuvim/jps/JOB.598/)

### Trees and pragmatics

[Every meaning and example of «decree» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/decree/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.