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   Au·thor·i·ty

   /əˈTHôrədē/

   

   noun

   • 1. the power or right to give orders, make decisions, and enforce obedience: "he had absolute authority over his subordinates" Similar powerjurisdictioncommandcontrolmasterychargedominancedominionrulesovereigntyascendancysupremacydominationinfluenceswaythe upper handleverageholdgripinformal:cloutpullmuscleteethdrag
   • ▪ the right to act in a specified way, delegated from one person or organization to another: "military forces have the legal authority to arrest drug traffickers" Similar authorizationrightpowermandateprerogativelicensecarte blanchehistorical:droit
   • ▪ official permission; sanction: "the money was spent without congressional authority" Similar authorizationpermissionconsentleavesanctionlicensedispensationassentacquiescenceagreementapprovalseal of approvalapprobationendorsementimprimaturclearanceinformal:the go-aheadthe thumbs upthe OKthe green lightsay-sorare:permit
   • 2. a person or organization having power or control in a particular, typically political or administrative, sphere: "the health authorities" Similar officialsofficialdomthe people in chargethe governmentthe administrationthe establishmentthe bureaucracythe systemthe policeinformal:the powers that bethe (men in) suitsBig Brother
   • 3. the power to influence others, especially because of one's commanding manner or one's recognized knowledge about something: "he has the natural authority of one who is used to being obeyed" Similar powerjurisdictioncommandcontrolmasterychargedominancedominionrulesovereigntyascendancysupremacydominationinfluenceswaythe upper handleverageholdgripinformal:cloutpullmuscleteethdrag
   • ▪ the confidence resulting from personal expertise: "he hit the ball with authority"
   • ▪ a person with extensive or specialized knowledge about a subject; an expert: "she was an authority on the stock market" Similar influenceswaycontrolleveragepowercommandweightreputationstandingkudosstatusstatureprestigegravitasimageesteemsupremacysuperiorityeminencerankpositionstationcredibilityplausibilityintegrityacceptancetrustfaithconfidenceinformal:cloutpulldrag
   • ▪ a book or other source able to supply reliable information or evidence, typically to settle a dispute: "the court cited a series of authorities supporting their decision" Similar sourcereferencepiece of documentationcitationquotationquoteexcerptpassage

   Word Origin Middle English: from Old French autorite, from Latin auctoritas, from auctor ‘originator, promoter’ (see author).

   Scrabble Points: 15

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