ordinance

noun

1. (US)A local law, passed by e.g. a city.

   “Enactive. Expositive. / Art. 57. XIII 2. The Registrative, or say Recordative: exercised, by the arrangements and operations, by which, in conformity to corresponding ordinances and mandates, the accounts, given at different periods by the exercise of the statistic function, are kept in contiguity, and in a regular series, for the purpose of reference and comparison.”

   “According to the weatherperson, spring arrived in Hartford, Conn., on Monday, March 20 at 6:34 p.m. But gay people here didn't need a weatherperson to feel the gust of fresh air at a hearing on the proposed gay rights ordinance before the City Council that night at 7:30.”

   “Alderman Richard Mell then pushed through antipeddling ordinances in the 33rd and 47th wards.”

2. (England)An edict or decree, authoritative order.
3. (Commonwealth, UK)An edict or decree, authoritative order.
4. (Hong-Kong)An edict or decree, authoritative order.
5. (India, Pakistan)An edict or decree, authoritative order.
6. A religious practice or ritual prescribed by a church.
7. (alt-of, alternative, proscribed)Alternative form of ordnance (“military equipment, especially artillery”).

   “Let all the Battlements their Ordinance fire, / The King shal drinke to Hamlets better breath,”

   “[T]he ſayd gunnes beeing able to hurt but a ſmall diſtance off, and the Iaponians being furniſhed with bꝛazen oꝛdinance vnknowen vnto the Corayans, they pꝛeſently dꝛaue them from their walles, […]”

   “The battered walls of Fort Sumter were reinforced, and heavier caliber ordinance was mounted in the embrasures, doubling the firepower, […]”

   “The ordinance officer at Fort Ridgely had packed.62 caliber rather than .58 caliber ammunition. There was no point in any of the men remonstrating over the stupidity of the ordinance officer.”

   “Large caliber ordinance was already ripping into the floor just in front of them. She grabbed his arm and shouted the best she could, “Do you know how ... to fire a weapon, Skully?””