常用词order可以用作名词和动词。用作名词时可以指“命令，嘱咐；定购，定货；次序，顺序；整齐，有条理”四个大意思。比如：
His order is like a suggestion.他的命令像建议。The order has been delayed.订单被延期了。A new order seems to be emerging. 新的秩序似乎正在显现。Everything was in apple-pie order.所有的东西都整整齐齐。
order作为及物动词的意思有“命令,嘱咐；定购，叫（饭、菜等）；按顺序，按次序”等。比如：
The policeman ordered him to stand against the wall.警察命令他靠墙站好。Are you ready to order, sir?先生，可以点菜了吗？Do you remember the number of books they ordered?你记得他们订购书的数目吗?
常见短语in order表示“整齐，秩序井然”。比如：I must put my affairs in order.我必须整理整理我的事务。Put them in order.把它们摆放整齐。
介词短语in order to 的意思是“为了……”，后要跟原形动词。比如：I go swimming every day in order to keep fit.我每天游泳以保持健康。She arrived early in order to get a good seat.她早早到场，好找个好位置。
短语out of order“不正常的，出故障”，比如：The phone is out of order.电话坏了。The machine is out of order.机器出故障了。
需注意点：1.如果表达的是否定意义的目的，就只能用in order not to不能用not to，如：We got up early in order not to miss the train.我们早起以免误了火车。
短语in order that的意思是“目的在于，为了”，后面要跟从句。比如：We all get up early in order that we can start at seven.我们都早点起床，以便我们可以七点钟出发。They worked hard in order that they might succeed.他们努力工作，以便能够获得成功。
2.不要把接不定式的in order to同接从句的in order that混淆。此外，so that也接从句表目的，不过它比in order that更常用于非正式的文体或讲话场合。