decree

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

1. n. An authoritative order having the force of law.
2. n. Law The judgment of a court of equity, admiralty, probate, or divorce.
3. n. Roman Catholic Church A doctrinal or disciplinary act of an ecumenical council.
4. n. Roman Catholic Church An administrative act applying or interpreting articles of canon law.
5. v. To ordain, establish, or decide by decree. See Synonyms at dictate.
6. v. To issue a decree.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. n. A special ordinance or regulation promulgated by civil or other authority; an authoritative decision having the force of law.
2. n. Specifically In Roman law, a determination or judgment of the emperor on a suit between parties. Among the Romans, when all legislative power was centered in the emperors, it became the custom to ask for their opinion and decision in disputed cases. Their decisions were called decrees, and formed part of the imperial constitutions.
3. n. An edict or a law made by an ecclesiastical council for regulating business within its jurisdiction. The term is used in ecclesiastical history chiefly as a designation of certain dogmatic and authoritative decisions on disputed points in theology and discipline in the Roman Catholic Church: as, the Decrees of the Council of Trent; the Decree of Auricnlar Confession by the Fourth Lateran Council.
4. n. A judicial decision or determination of a litigated cause; specifically, the sentence or order of a court of chancery, or of a court of admiralty or of probate, after a hearing or submission of the cause. The word judgment is now used in reference to the decisions of courts having both common law and equity powers. See also act, article, bill, charter, code, constitution, edict, law, ordinance, provision, statute.
5. n. In theology, one of the eternal purposes of God, whereby for his own glory he has foreordained whatsoever comes to pass. Whether these decrees are absolute or conditional—that is, whether they are according to the counsel of his own will, “without any foresight of faith or good works, or any other thing in the creature, as conditions or causes moving him thereto” (West. Conf. of Faith, iii.), or are based upon his fore knowledge of the character and course of his free creatures—is a contested question, the Calvinists taking the former view, the Arminians the latter.
6. n. The judgment or award of an umpire in a case submitted to him.
7. n. 4 and Judgment, Order, etc. (see decision); proclamation, fiat, mandate.
8. To order or promulgate with authority; issue as an edict or ordinance.
9. To determine judicially; resolve by sentence; adjudge: as, the court decreed a restoration of the property.
10. To determine or resolve legislatively; determine or decide on.
11. Synonyms To order, ordain, command, enact.
12. To determine; predetermine immutably; constitute or appoint by edict.

Wiktionary

1. n. An edict or law.
2. n. The judicial decision in a litigated cause rendered by a court of equity.
3. n. The determination of a cause in a court of admiralty, or a court of probate.
4. v. To command by a decree.

GNU Webster's 1913

1. n. 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.
2. n. A decision, order, or sentence, given in a cause by a court of equity or admiralty.
3. n. A determination or judgment of an umpire on a case submitted to him.
4. n. An edict or law made by a council for regulating any business within their jurisdiction.
5. v. To determine judicially by authority, or by decree; to constitute by edict; to appoint by decree or law; to determine; to order; to ordain.
6. v. To ordain by fate.
7. v. To make decrees; -- used absolutely.

WordNet 3.0

1. v. issue a decree
2. v. decide with authority
3. n. a legally binding command or decision entered on the court record (as if issued by a court or judge)