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authority definition

au·thor·ity (ə t̸hôr′ə tē, -t̸här′-)

noun pl. authorities -·ties

    1. the power or right to give commands, enforce obedience, take action, or make final decisions; jurisdiction
    2. the position of one having such power a person in authority
  2. such power as delegated to another; authorization; warrant he has my authority to do it
  3. power or influence resulting from knowledge, prestige, etc.
    1. the citation of a writing, decision, etc. in support of an opinion, action, etc.
    2. the writing, etc. cited
  5. reliability of a source or witness
    1. persons, esp. in government, having the power or right to enforce orders, laws, etc.
    2. a government agency that administers a project
  7. a person with much knowledge or experience in some field, whose information or opinion is hence reliable; expert
  8. self-assurance and expertness that come with experience the pianist's performance lacked authority

Etymology: ME autorite < OFr autorité, auctorité < L auctoritas < auctor, author

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 authority definition - business

law authority definition - legal

authority Synonyms

authority

n.

  1. Power based on right

    right, authorization, jurisdiction; see power 2.

  2. The appearance of having authority, sense 1

    prestige, political influence, weight, self-assurance; see influence 2.

  3. A person or persons vested with authority, sense 1; usually plural

    officialdom, officials, judges, court, police, government, government agency, office-holders, administration, cabinet, executive, duly constituted representatives, ecclesiastics, the powers that be*; see also bureaucracy 1.

  4. One who knows

    expert, scholar, critic, professional; see specialist. See syn. study atinfluence, power.


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.

authority Usage Examples

Preposition: beyond

  • whiteness: Arm across shoulder we used the superior to mabel authority beyond whiteness.

Converse of object

  • enforce: You must notify the enforcing authority without delay i.e. by telephone.

Adjective modifier

  • local: Capital Receipts: Money received by the local authority from the transfer of housing stock.

Noun used with modifier

  • licensing: The licensing authority will take over responsibility for granting gaming machine permits from the courts.
authority 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.

authority quotes

   The vices of authorityare chiefly four: delays, corruption, roughness, and facility.

-Bacon, Francis,Viscount St Albans

It's funny: you hate authorityand thenyour photography takes on an authority.

-Baker, Colin

You will soon hate me as much as you love me now, for you assume an authority in the affairs of the church to which I shall never assent.

-Becket,Thomas a'  , Saint

authority 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

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

  • Your Dictionary. 3 July 2009
  • <www.yourdictionary.com/authority>

APA Style

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

  • Retrieved July 3rd, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/authority

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