arrange

/əˈreɪndʒ/

/əˈreɪndʒ/

Other forms: arranged; arranging; arranges

Think it might be fun to be a party planner? These highly organized people arrange everything from invitations to music, food, even the lighting in the room, meaning they put everything in order.

At a concert, you look in your program to see what piece is next. There's a title, followed by the composer's name. Under that is another name, preceded by "arranged by." What does that mean? Every piece was originally written with a certain instrument or instruments in mind. In order for that music to be played by other instruments, it first has to be adapted, meaning someone has to arrange it. A symphony for kazoos? You can arrange that.

Definitions of arrange

1. verb

   put into a proper or systematic order
   “arrange the books on the shelves in chronological order”

   synonyms: set up

   antonyms:

   disarrange

   destroy the arrangement or order of

   types:

   regularise, regularize

   make regular or more regular

   order

   place in a certain order

   order

   bring order to or into

   straighten

   make straight or straighter

   rearrange, rejigger

   put into a new order or arrangement

   serialise, serialize

   arrange serially

   alphabetise, alphabetize

   arrange in alphabetical order

   coordinate, organise, organize

   bring order and organization to

   stratify

   form layers or strata

   draw, string, thread

   thread on or as if on a string

   marshal

   arrange in logical order

   string

   stretch out or arrange like a string

   spread out, string out

   set out or stretch in a line, succession, or series

   plume, preen

   clean with one's bill

   stack

   arrange the order of so as to increase one's winning chances

   chain

   connect or arrange into a chain by linking

   geminate, pair

   arrange in pairs

   concord

   arrange the words of a text so as to create a concordance

   cascade

   arrange (open windows) on a computer desktop so that they overlap each other, with the title bars visible

   settle

   arrange or fix in the desired order

   pyramid

   arrange or build up as if on the base of a pyramid

   corral

   arrange wagons so that they form a corral

   catenate, catenulate

   arrange in a series of rings or chains, as for spores

   decorate, dress

   provide with decoration

   array, lay out, range, set out

   lay out orderly or logically in a line or as if in a line

   bundle, compact, pack, wad

   compress into a wad

   heap, pile, stack

   arrange in stacks

   distribute, stagger

   arrange in a systematic order

   drape

   arrange in a particular way

   drape

   place casually

   set

   fix in a border

   gradate

   arrange according to grades

   line up

   form a line

   clean up, neaten, square away, straighten, straighten out, tidy, tidy up

   put (things or places) in order

   recode

   put into a different code; rearrange mentally

   reshuffle

   reorganize and assign posts to different people

   structure

   give a structure to

   interlock, mesh

   coordinate in such a way that all parts work together effectively

   even, even out

   make even or more even

   systematise, systematize, systemise, systemize

   arrange according to a system or reduce to a system

   bead

   string together like beads

   collate

   assemble in proper sequence

   disentangle, straighten out, unsnarl

   extricate from entanglement

   concatenate

   combine two strings to form a single one

   compart

   lay out in parts according to a plan

   puddle

   work a wet mixture, such as concrete or mud

   rick

   pile in ricks

   cord

   stack in cords

   wire

   string on a wire

   type of:

   lay, place, pose, position, put, set

   put into a certain place or abstract location
2. verb

   arrange thoughts, ideas, or temporal events
   “arrange my schedule”

   synonyms: order, put, set up

   types:

   contemporise, contemporize, synchronise, synchronize

   arrange or represent events so that they co-occur

   phrase

   divide, combine, or mark into phrases

   type of:

   organise, organize

   cause to be structured or ordered or operating according to some principle or idea
3. verb

   arrange attractively
   synonyms: coif, coiffe, coiffure, do, dress, set

   curry, dress, groom

   give a neat appearance to

   types:

   bob

   cut hair in the style of a bob

   wave

   set waves in

   marcel

   make a marcel in a woman's hair

   gauffer, goffer

   make wavy with a heated goffering iron

   perm

   give a permanent wave to

   type of:

   groom, neaten

   care for one's external appearance
4. verb

   plan, organize, and carry out (an event)
   synonyms: stage

   types:

   dogfight

   arrange for an illegal dogfight

   tee up

   make detailed arrangements or preparations

   phase

   arrange in phases or stages

   type of:

   initiate, pioneer

   take the lead or initiative in; participate in the development of
5. verb

   make arrangements for
   “Can you arrange a meeting with the President?”

   synonyms: fix up

   types:

   firm up

   arrange firmly

   concord

   arrange by concord or agreement

   settle

   dispose of; make a financial settlement

   prorate

   make a proportional settlement or distribution

   pay

   discharge or settle

   square

   pay someone and settle a debt

   compensate, make up, pay, pay off

   do or give something to somebody in return

   liquidate

   settle the affairs of by determining the debts and applying the assets to pay them off

   clean up

   dispose of

   type of:

   agree, concord, concur, hold

   be in accord; be in agreement
6. verb

   set (printed matter) into a specific format
   synonyms: format

   types:

   indent

   set in from the margin

   rubricate

   furnish with rubrics or regulate by rubrics

   type of:

   change

   undergo a change; become different in essence; losing one's or its original nature
7. verb

   adapt for performance in a different way
   synonyms: set

   types:

   prearrange

   arrange beforehand

   put

   adapt

   transpose

   put (a piece of music) into another key

   table, tabularise, tabularize, tabulate

   arrange or enter in tabular form

   type of:

   compose, write

   write music