taking orders
Doing as told
Taking orders describes doing what someone else tells you to do, typically in a hierarchical relationship.
A soldier takes orders from a commanding officer; an employee takes orders from a boss.
The phrase often carries a note of subservience: I don't take orders from anyone.
In restaurants, taking orders means recording what customers want: The waiter was busy taking orders.
One who attends tables
- waitstaffRestaurant service employees
- waiterOne who serves tables
- waitressFemale restaurant attendant
- bartenderOne who serves drinks
barista · hostess · busboy · counter · drive-through · tableside · ticket · kitchen
Formal command or instruction
- instructionGuidance for action
- followingComing after another
- executionCompleting a planned task
- adherenceFaithful following of something
obedience · conformity · submission · deference · acquiescence · duty · discipline · responsiveness
Military leader of unit
- superiorHigher in rank
- rankPosition in hierarchy
- chain of commandFormal authority hierarchy
- sergeantMid-level military rank
lieutenant · drill · regiment · soldier · enlisted · salute · battalion · deployment
Revenue from goods moved
- fulfillmentState of achieved purpose
- customerBuyer of goods
- inventoryCatalog of held assets
- wholesaleBulk sales to merchants
retail · processing · shipment · warehouse · supplier · vendor · transaction · invoice
server
One who attends tables
bartender · barista · hostess · busboy · counter · drive-through · tableside · ticket · kitchen · chef
directive
Formal command or instruction
- instructionGuidance for action
- followingComing after another
- executionCompleting a planned task
adherence · obedience · conformity · submission · deference · acquiescence · duty · discipline · responsiveness · follow-through
commanding officer
Military leader of unit
- superiorHigher in rank
- rankPosition in hierarchy
- chain of commandFormal authority hierarchy
sergeant · lieutenant · drill · regiment · soldier · enlisted · salute · battalion · deployment · mission
sales
Revenue from goods moved
- fulfillmentState of achieved purpose
- customerBuyer of goods
- inventoryCatalog of held assets
wholesale · retail · processing · shipment · warehouse · supplier · vendor · transaction · invoice · bulk
- Restaurant Taskscooking, food prep, plating, washing dishes, clearing plates
- server dutiestable service, greeting guests, dessert service, water service, bread service
- restaurant servicedecanting, plating, garnishing, greeting guests, seating guests
- hotel dutiescheck-in, check-out, housekeeping, front desk, room service
- complianceaudit, obeying, policy, compliance officer, regulation
taking orderscommanding
Exerting strong authority
in charge · leading · calling the shots · running the show · directing
taking ordersautonomous
Self-directed and free
self-governing · freelancing · free agent · going one's own way · independent
taking ordersinsubordination
Defying workplace authority
disobeying · rebelling · mutinying · going rogue · dissenting
take, taking, takes, taken, taker, takers, takings, retake, retakes