Disorderly

Disorderly - (Webster's 1828 Dictionary)

DISORDERLY, a. Confused; immethodical; irregular; being without proper order or disposition; as, the books and papers are in a disorderly state.

2. Tumultuous; irregular; as the disorderly motions of the spirits.

3. Lawless; contrary to law; violating or disposed to violate law and good order; as disorderly people; disorderly assemblies.

4. Inclined to break loose from restraint; unruly; as disorderly cattle.

DISORDERLY, adv.

1. Without order, rule or method; irregularly; confusedly; in a disorderly manner.

Savages fighting disorderly with stones.

2. In a manner violating law and good order; in a manner contrary to rules or established institutions.

Withdraw from every brother that walketh disorderly. 2 Th 3.

dis-or'-der-li (ataktos): The word is found four times in the Epistles to the Thess (1Th 5:14; 2Th 3:6,7,11), "Withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly."; "We behaved not ourselves disorderly."; "We hear of some that walk among you disorderly." The word is a military term and has reference to the soldier who does not keep the ranks (inordinatus, Liv). Then it refers to people who refuse to obey the civil laws, and thus it gets its meaning, "disorderly." It points to members in the early church, who, by their lives, became a reproach to the gospel of Christ (compare 1Th 4:11,12).

Henry E. Dosker