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more about authority
authority |
2 definitions found From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Authority \Au*thor"i*ty\, n.; pl {Authorities}. [OE. autorite auctorite F. autorit['e], fr L. auctoritas fr auctor. See {Author}, n.] 1. Legal or rightful power; a right to command or to act power exercised buy a person in virtue of his office or trust; dominion; jurisdiction; authorization; as the authority of a prince over subjects, and of parents over children; the authority of a court. Thus can the demigod, Authority, Make us pay down for our offense. --Shak. By what authority doest thou these things ? --Matt. xxi. 23. 2. Government; the persons or the body exercising power or command; as the local authorities of the States; the military authorities. [Chiefly in the plural.] 3. The power derived from opinion, respect, or esteem; influence of character, office, or station, or mental or moral superiority, and the like claim to be believed or obeyed; as an historian of no authority; a magistrate of great authority. 4. That which or one who is claimed or appealed to in support of opinions, actions, measures, etc Hence: a Testimony; witness. ``And on that high authority had believed.'' --Milton. b A precedent; a decision of a court, an official declaration, or an opinion, saying, or statement worthy to be taken as a precedent. c A book containing such a statement or opinion, or the author of the book. d Justification; warrant. Wilt thou be glass wherein it shall discern Authority for sin, warrant for blame. --Shak. From WordNet r 1.6 [wn]: authority n 1: the power to exercise authoritative or dominating control or influence over "he has the authority to issue warrants" [syn: {dominance}, {say-so}] 2: (usually plural) persons who exercise (administrative) control over others "the authorities have issued a curfew" 3: an expert whose views are taken as definitive; "he is an authority on corporate law" 4: freedom from doubt; belief in yourself and your abilities; "his assurance in his superiority did not make him popular"; "after that failure he lost his confidence" [syn: {assurance}, {self-assurance}, {confidence}, {self-confidence}, {sureness}] 5: an administrative unit of government; "the Central Intelligence Agency"; "the Census Bureau"; "Office of Management and Budget"; "Tennessee Valley Authority" [syn: {agency}, {government agency}, {bureau}, {office}] 6: a grant of authority to the executive branch of government to spend money for specified purposes; "authority for the program was renewed several times" [syn: {authorization}] 7: an authoritative written work "this book is the final authority on the life of Milton" 8: a power delegated from one person to another; "deputies are given the power to make arrests" [syn: {authorization}] 9: the act of final authorization; "it had the sanction of the church" [syn: {sanction}]
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