organize
/ˈɔːɡ(ə)nʌɪz
/(also organise)
verb [with object]
1Arrange systematically; order: organize lessons in a planned way...
- There is a good selection and often items are organized in order of the ascending price range.
- Children need to know that we sort and classify things every day in order to organize information.
- The officials reasoned that it would be too complicated to organize a system that sees the rich pay a higher fee.
Synonyms
put in order, order, arrange, sort, sort out, assemble, marshal, put straight, group, dispose, classify, collocate, categorize, catalogue, codify, tabulate, compile, systematize, systemize, regulate, regiment, standardize, structure, shape, mould, lick/knock into shape, pigeonhole;
Medicine triage
rare methodize
1.1Coordinate the activities of (a person or group) efficiently: she was unsuited to anything where she had to organize herself...
- Now whenever she is part of a travel group, she organizes people to play the game.
- Zoe and I did our best not to appear straight laced, and tried to organise people.
- Ten minutes later, we were organized into groups, and sent outside into the inviting rain.
Synonyms
make arrangements for, arrange, coordinate, sort out, put together, fix up, get together, orchestrate, choreograph, be responsible for, be in charge of, take care of, look after, see to, see about, deal with, direct, run, manage, conduct, administrate, set up, mobilize, mastermind, engineer;
institute, develop, form, create, establish, found, originate, begin, start;
schedule, timetable, programme
rare concert
1.2Form (a number of people) into a trade union or other political group: we all believed in the need to organize women...
- Trade unions depend for their effectiveness on organising the majority of the workers in any workplace or industry.
- By the early twentieth century the brotherhoods had organized the majority of workers in the railroad running trades.
- Fascism attempts to organize the newly created proletarian masses without affecting the property structure which the masses strive to eliminate.
2Make arrangements or preparations for (an event or activity): social programmes are organized by the school...
- They would also appreciate support from volunteers prepared to help organise the event, which, it is hoped, will rise from the ashes by autumn next year.
- There is a local committee, which discusses the running of the home, a fund-raising committee and a house committee, which also organises social events.
- Should the game take off, Wong and his team are prepared to organize gatherings and tournaments.
2.1Take responsibility for providing or arranging: Julie organized food and drink for the band...
- A special thank you to the parents' association who supplied the food and drinks and organised the catering.
- Free of charge transportation will be organised to and from the town.
- When he became a consultant in 1968 he took on responsibility for organising the treatment of burns and brought to the task all his military skills of organisation and documentation.
3 archaic Arrange or form into a living being or tissue: the soul doth organize the body
Derivatives
organizable
/ adjective ...- I look at my workspace and I realize that I have so much equipment there that it's a wonder that it was organizable.
- But Pawel's story took as a given one crucial but contestable assertion: that today's farm workers are organizable.
- Woodruff ran the numbers on Tuesday - 12 million workers in health care, 10 million in hotels and restaurants, 10 million in retail, 6 million in construction, a census of the organizable.
Origin
Late Middle English: from medieval Latin organizare, from Latin organum 'instrument, tool' (see organ).