Word of the Day for Monday March 6, 2006 countermand \KOWN-tuhr-mand; kown-tuhr-MAND\, transitive verb: 1. To revoke (a former command); to cancel or rescind by giving an order contrary to one previously given. 2. To recall or order back by a contrary order. noun: 1. A contrary order. 2. Revocation of a former order or command. And given the mixed results, a constitutional amendment that could countermand both the law and the original order by Vermont's Supreme Court seems unlikely. -- Stanley Kurtz, "Florida? Try Vermont," [1]National Review Online, November 13, 2000 Her aunt and uncle kept hoping her father would countermand his orders since his promises to her seemed to be without effect. -- Dumas Malone, quoted in [2]The Long Affair, by Conor Cruise O'Brien Based in a futuristic radar room near Dulles Airport, it has become a master center, with electronic vision that sees every airplane in the system and the authority to question and, in some circumstances, countermand decisions made by individual controllers. -- William Langewiesche, "Slam and Jam," [3]The Atlantic, October 1997 _________________________________________________________ Countermand derives from Old French contremander, from contre-, "counter" (from Latin contra) + mander, "to command" (from Latin mandare). References 1. http://www.nationalreview.com/ 2. http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0226616568/ref=nosim/lexico 3. http://www.theatlantic.com/ Dictionary.com Entry and Pronunciation http://dictionary.reference.com/search?r=9&q=countermand