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agency definition

agen·cy (ā′jən sē)

noun pl. agencies -·cies

  1. active force; action; power
  2. that by which something is done; means; instrumentality
  3. the business of any person, firm, etc. empowered to act for another
  4. the business office or district of such a person, firm, etc.
  5. an administrative division of government with specific functions
  6. an organization that offers a particular kind of assistance a social agency

Etymology: ML agentia < prp. of L agere, act

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Alternate definitions:

business agency definition - business

finance agency definition - finance

law agency definition - legal

agency Synonyms

agency

n.

  1. Place where business is transacted

    firm, bureau, company; see business 4, office 3.

  2. An instrumentality

    power, auspices, action; see means 1.


Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

agency Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • specialize: As well as its commercial body, Remploy provides direct support through its specialized employment agency - Remploy Interwork.

Preposition: on

  • misuse: Alcohol Concern is the national agency on alcohol misuse.

Adjective modifier

  • voluntary: Her practice Includes work within the NHS, Social Services, in Schools and for a national voluntary agency.

Modifies a noun

  • worker: I will be hiring temps or agency workers, what do I need to consider?

Noun used with modifier

  • recruitment: Pitman's People is a London based event labor recruitment agency.
agency usage examples (more)

The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.

agency quotes

The No.1Ladies' Detective Agency.

-Smith, Alexander McCall

The essence of Christianity is the appeal to the life of Christ as a revelation of the nature of God and of his agency in the world. The record is fragmentary, inconsistent and uncertain† But there can be no doubt as to the elements in the record that have evoked the best in human nature. The Mother, the Child and the bare manger: the lowly man, homeless and self- forgetful, with his message of peace, love and sympathy: the suffering, the agony, the tender words as life ebbed, the final despair: and the whole with the authority of supreme victory.

-Whitehead, Alfred North

agency quotes (more)

Webster's New World Dictionary of Quotations Copyright © 2005 by Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Published by Wiley, Hoboken, NJ. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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MLA Style

"agency." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009

  • Your Dictionary. 4 July 2009
  • <www.yourdictionary.com/agency>

APA Style

agency. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary

  • Retrieved July 4th, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/agency

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