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agent Definition

agent (ā′jənt)

noun

  1. a person or thing that performs an action or brings about a certain result, or that is able to do so
  2. an active force or substance producing an effect a chemical agent
  3. a person, firm, etc. empowered to act for another
  4. ☆ a representative of a government agency revenue agent
  5. ☆ Informal a traveling salesperson
  6. Gram. the word or words designating the person or thing that performs the action of the verb in a sentence

Etymology: L agens (gen. agentis), prp. of agere, act

intransitive verb, transitive verb

to act or work as an agent (on)

agent Synonyms

agent

n.

  1. One who acts for another

    representative, deputy, broker, promoter, operator, salesperson, salesman, assistant, emissary, appointee, proxy, intermediary, executor, attorney, lawyer, go-between, surrogate, procurator, principal, factor, minister, envoy, delegate, spokesperson, spokesman, canvasser, middleman, commissioner, regent, consignee, commissary, syndic, substitute, factotum, steward, functionary, servant, assignee, solicitor, ambassador, diplomat, chargé d'affaires (French), attaché, comprador, proctor, negotiator, advocate, coagent, instrument, tool, cat's paw, press agent, publicity agent, claim agent, employment agent, headhunter*, literary agent, actor's agent, booking agent, flesh peddler*, ten percenter*, handler*, secret agent*, spy*, operative*, double agent*, FBI agent, G-man*, treasury agent, T-man*, narcotics agent, narc*. *

  2. An instrumentality

    active force, cause, means, agency; see doer, means 1.

an agent is, generally, a person or thing that acts or is capable of acting, or, in this comparison, one who is empowered to act for another a literary agent; factor, a less common term, now usually denotes an agent for the sale of goods; a deputy is a public official to whom certain authority has been delegated by superiors; proxy implies the delegation of power to substitute for another in some formal or ceremonial act some stockholders vote by proxy

agent Law Definition

n

One who by mutual consent is authorized to act for another. See agency, authority, and principal.

agent Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • let: List of rental property from letting Agents in Surbiton.
  • oxidize: Even the strongest laboratory oxidizing agents are unable to oxidize hydrogen fluoride.
  • appoint: The Regulations allow you to appoint an agent for this purpose.
  • authorize: Eligibility The applicant must be either the owner of the property or an authorized agent of the owner.

Adjective modifier

  • biological: We suspect that these refurbished trainer aircraft have been modified for delivery of chemical or, more likely, biological warfare agents.
  • registered: Remember, in order for your business to maintain good standing status it must also maintain a registered agent.
  • infectious: Private veterinary surgeons and veterinary inspectors are those whose occupation may put them at risk if an infectious agent is present.
  • secret: There's still the part about hunting down secret agents which is probably comparable to any FPS game around today.
  • causative: The document outlines the causative agents of West Nile Virus, disease transmission, clinical signs and symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment.
  • intelligent: These ambitious projects envisage intelligent agents with a wide variety of skills.

Modifies a noun

underwriter: Independent agents underwriters their driving record your policy includes display your products.

Noun used with modifier

  • estate: Sole agency The estate agent is the only agent with the right to sell your property.
  • travel: Your local travel agent should be able to help.
  • nerve: Sarin is the nerve agent that was later used in the terrorist attack on the Tokyo underground in 1995.
  • formation: As your company formation agents, we can only act on information and instructions given to us.
  • scrapie: First, if BSE is derived from scrapie, the scrapie agent might not be as stable as originally thought.
  • patent: Again he emphasized the value of networking and the need to pay for the best advice, especially patent agents and the legal wizards.

Possessives

websites: Please click logos below to jump to Darren Diss ' work on his agents ' websites.

Preposition: in

incorporation: We act as your agent in the incorporation of offshore companies.

Preposition: of

Satan: The false prophets, the agents of Satan, who were around in John's day were neither a new nor a temporary phenomenon.