heed orders

[/hiːd ˈɔːrdərz/]
verb phrase
obedecer ordens
1. to pay attention to and follow instructions or commands given by someone in authority
The soldiers were ordered to heed orders from their commanding officer without question.
Os soldados foram ordenados a obedecer as ordens de seu oficial comandante sem questionar.
2. to comply with or respect directives or instructions
If you want to succeed in the military, you must heed orders immediately.
Se você quer ter sucesso na militar, deve obedecer as ordens imediatamente.
This phrase is commonly used in military, hierarchical, and professional contexts in both American English and Brazilian Portuguese. In Brazil, obedience to authority is culturally emphasized in institutional settings. In the USA, the phrase carries strong military connotations and is often used when discussing chain of command, discipline, and formal organizational structures.
Synonyms / Sinônimos
obey ordersfollow orderscomply with ordersrespect ordersadhere to orders
Antonyms / Antônimos
disobey ordersignore ordersdefy ordersdisregard ordersviolate orders

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
obedecer ordens
standard translation used throughout Brazil
Rio de Janeiro
seguir as ordens
slightly more colloquial variant
São Paulo
obedecer ordens
formal and standard usage
Portugal
obedecer ordens
same as Brazilian Portuguese; formal military context

Related Words

obediencecomplianceauthoritycommandinstructiondirective

Related Idioms & Phrases

follow marching orders
toe the line
follow suit
march to the beat of someone's drum
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