| Main Entry: | |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | law, rule of behavior, action |
| Synonyms: | axiom, behest, bidding, byword, canon, command, commandment, decree, decretum, direction, doctrine, dogma, edict, formula, fundamental, guideline, injunction, instruction, law, mandate, maxim, motto, order, ordinance, prescript, principle, regulation, rule, saying, statute, tenet |
| Main Entry: | aphorism |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | saying expressing a belief, often true |
| Synonyms: | adage, apothegm, axiom, dictum, maxim, moral, precept, proverb, rule, saw, saying, truism |
| Main Entry: | axiom |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | principle |
| Synonyms: | adage, aphorism, apothegm, device, dictum, fundamental, law, maxim, moral, postulate, precept, proposition, proverb, saying, theorem, truism, truth |
| Antonyms: | absurdity, ambiguity, foolishness, nonsense, paradox |
| Main Entry: | behest |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | order; personal decree |
| Synonyms: | bidding, charge, command, commandment, demand, dictate, direction, expressed desire, injunction, instruction, mandate, order, precept, prompting, request, solicitation, wish, word |
| Notes: | behest is a stronger term than request |
| Main Entry: | belief |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | something regarded as true |
| Synonyms: | assumption, concept, credence, credo, creed, doctrine, dogma, faith, fundamental, gospel, gospel truth, hypothesis, idea, ideology, law, opinion, postulate, precept, principle, say-so, tenet, theorem, theory |
| Antonyms: | disbelief, nonbelief |
| Main Entry: | byword |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | saying |
| Synonyms: | adage, aphorism, apophthegm, axiom, catchphrase, catchword, dictum, epithet, gnome, gnomic saying, handle, maxim, motto, nickname, precept, proverb, saw, shibboleth, slogan, standing joke |
| Main Entry: | canon |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | rule, edict |
| Synonyms: | assize, catalogue, command, commandment, criterion, declaration, decree, decretum, dictate, doctrine, dogma, formula, law, list, maxim, order, ordinance, precept, principle, regulation, roll, screed, standard, statute, table, tenet, touchstone, yardstick |
| Notes: | a cannon is a large mounted artillery gun or a large artillery gun that is on wheels that fires heavy projectiles while a canon is an ecclesiastical law or code of laws established by a church council or a priest who is a member of a cathedral chapter |
| Main Entry: | charge |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | command |
| Synonyms: | behest, bidding, dictate, direction, exhortation, injunction, instruction, mandate, order, precept, word |
| Main Entry: | command |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | directive, instruction |
| Synonyms: | act, adjuration, ban, behest, bidding, call, canon, caveat, charge, citation, commandment, decree, demand, devoir, dictate, dictation, dictum, direction, duty, edict, enactment, exaction, fiat, imperative, imposition, injunction, interdiction, law, mandate, notification, obligation, order, ordinance, precept, prescript, proclamation, prohibition, proscription, regulation, request, requirement, requisition, responsibility, rule, subpoena, summons, ultimatum, warrant, will, word, writ |
| Notes: | an order is being told to do something with no specific guidelines, a command is being told to do something in a specific way, and a directive is being told to do something and getting this information through channels |
| Antonyms: | contradiction, countermand, opposition, recall, reversal, revocation |