au·thor·i·ty

(ə-thôr′ĭ-tē, ə-thŏr′-, ô-)

n. pl. au·thor·i·ties

a. The power to enforce laws, exact obedience, command, determine, or judge.

b. One that is invested with this power, especially a government or body of government officials: land titles issued by the civil authority.

2. Power assigned to another; authorization: Deputies were given authority to make arrests.

3. A public agency or corporation with administrative powers in a specified field: a city transit authority.

a. An accepted source of expert information or advice: a noted authority on birds; a reference book often cited as an authority.

b. A quotation or citation from such a source: biblical authorities for a moral argument.

5. Justification; grounds: On what authority do you make such a claim?

6. A conclusive statement or decision that may be taken as a guide or precedent.

7. Power to influence or persuade resulting from knowledge or experience: political observers who acquire authority with age.

8. Confidence derived from experience or practice; firm self-assurance: played the sonata with authority.

[Middle English auctorite, from Old French autorite, from Latin auctōritās, auctōritāt-, from auctor, creator; see author.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

authority

(ɔːˈθɒrɪtɪ)

n, pl -ties

1. the power or right to control, judge, or prohibit the actions of others

2. (often plural) a person or group of people having this power, such as a government, police force, etc

3. a position that commands such a power or right (often in the phrase in authority)

4. such a power or right delegated, esp from one person to another; authorization: she has his authority.

5. the ability to influence or control others: a man of authority.

6. an expert or an authoritative written work in a particular field: he is an authority on Ming china.

7. evidence or testimony: we have it on his authority that she is dead.

8. confidence resulting from great expertise: the violinist lacked authority in his cadenza.

9. (Government, Politics & Diplomacy) (capital when part of a name) a public board or corporation exercising governmental authority in administering some enterprise: Independent Broadcasting Authority.

10. (Law) law

a. a judicial decision, statute, or rule of law that establishes a principle; precedent

b. legal permission granted to a person to perform a specified act

[C14: from French autorité, from Latin auctōritas, from auctor author]

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

au•thor•i•ty

(əˈθɔr ɪ ti, əˈθɒr-)

n., pl. -ties.

1. the power to determine, adjudicate, or otherwise settle issues; the right to control, command, or determine.

2. a power or right delegated or given; authorization.

3. a person or body of persons in whom authority is vested, as a governmental agency.

4. Usu., authorities. persons having the legal power to make and enforce the law; government.

5. an accepted source of information, advice, or substantiation.

6. a quotation or citation from such a source.

7. an expert on a subject.

8. persuasive force; conviction.

9. a statute, court rule, or judicial decision that establishes a rule or principle of law; ruling.

10. the right to respect or acceptance of one's word, command, thought, etc.; commanding influence.

11. a warrant for action; justification.

12. testimony; witness.

[1200–50; Middle English < Old French < Latin]

syn: authority, control, influence denote a power or right to direct the actions or thoughts of others. authority is a power or right, usu. because of rank or office, to issue commands and to punish for violations: to have authority over subordinates. control is either power or influence applied to the complete and successful direction or manipulation of persons or things: to be in control of a project. influence is a personal and unofficial power derived from deference of others to one's character, ability, or station; it may be exerted unconsciously or may operate through persuasion: to have influence over one's friends.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Noun	1.	authority - the power or right to give orders or make decisions; "he has the authority to issue warrants"; "deputies are given authorization to make arrests"; "a place of potency in the state" potency, authorisation, authorization, say-so, dominance power of appointment - authority given (in a will or deed) by a donor to a donee to appoint the beneficiaries of the donor's property control - power to direct or determine; "under control" carte blanche - complete freedom or authority to act command - the power or authority to command; "an admiral in command" imperium - supreme authority; absolute dominion lordship - the authority of a lord muscle - authority or power or force (especially when used in a coercive way); "the senators used their muscle to get the party leader to resign" sovereignty - the authority of a state to govern another state
	2.	authority - (usually plural) persons who exercise (administrative) control over others; "the authorities have issued a curfew" individual, mortal, person, somebody, someone, soul - a human being; "there was too much for one person to do" plural, plural form - the form of a word that is used to denote more than one abrogator - an authority or official empowered to abolish or annul or repeal allocator, distributor - a person with authority to allot or deal out or apportion approver - an authority with power to approve authority figure - someone who is regarded as an authority by someone else authoriser, authorizer - an authority who authorizes (people or actions); "the agents report back to their authorizers" mandator - an authority who issues a mandate pacha, pasha - a civil or military authority in Turkey or Egypt civil authority, civil officer - a person who exercises authority over civilian affairs rebuker, reproacher, reprover, upbraider - someone who finds fault or imputes blame withdrawer - an authority who withdraws permission
	3.	authority - an expert whose views are taken as definitive; "he is an authority on corporate law" expert - a person with special knowledge or ability who performs skillfully adviser, advisor, consultant - an expert who gives advice; "an adviser helped students select their courses"; "the United States sent military advisors to Guatemala" cognoscente, connoisseur - an expert able to appreciate a field; especially in the fine arts evaluator, judge - an authority who is able to estimate worth or quality high priest - a preeminent authority or major proponent of a movement or doctrine; "he's the high priest of contemporary jazz" liturgist - an authority on liturgies professional, master - an authority qualified to teach apprentices
	4.	authority - 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"; "she spoke with authority" assurance, confidence, self-assurance, self-confidence, sureness certainty - the state of being certain; "his certainty reassured the others"
	5.	authority - an administrative unit of government; "the Central Intelligence Agency"; "the Census Bureau"; "Office of Management and Budget"; "Tennessee Valley Authority" agency, bureau, federal agency, government agency, office administrative body, administrative unit - a unit with administrative responsibilities executive agency - an agency of the executive branch of government FDA, Food and Drug Administration - a federal agency in the Department of Health and Human Services established to regulate the release of new foods and health-related products CDC, Center for Disease Control and Prevention - a federal agency in the Department of Health and Human Services; located in Atlanta; investigates and diagnoses and tries to control or prevent diseases (especially new and unusual diseases) Counterterrorist Center, CTC - an agency that helps the Director of Central Intelligence coordinate counterterrorist efforts in order to preempt and disrupt and defeat terrorist activities at the earliest possible stage Nonproliferation Center, NPC - an agency that serves as the focal point for all Intelligence Community activities related to nonproliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their missile delivery systems Bureau of the Census, Census Bureau - the bureau of the Commerce Department responsible for taking the census; provides demographic information and analyses about the population of the United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, NOAA - an agency in the Department of Commerce that maps the oceans and conserves their living resources; predicts changes to the earth's environment; provides weather reports and forecasts floods and hurricanes and other natural disasters related to weather National Climatic Data Center, NCDC - the part of NOAA that maintains the world's largest active archive of weather data National Weather Service - the federal agency in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration that is responsible for weather forecast and preparation of weather maps Technology Administration - an agency in the Department of Commerce that works with United States industries to promote competitiveness and maximize the impact of technology on economic growth National Institute of Standards and Technology, NIST - an agency in the Technology Administration that makes measurements and sets standards as needed by industry or government programs National Technical Information Service, NTIS - an agency in the Technology Administration that is a primary resource for government-funded scientific and technical and engineering and business related information DARPA, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency - the central research and development organization for the United States Department of Defense; responsible for developing new surveillance technologies since 9/11 Department of Defense Laboratory System, LABLINK - a defense laboratory that provides essential services in fundamental science for national security and environmental protection and provides technologies that contribute to industrial competitiveness Department of Energy Intelligence, DOEI - an agency that collects political and economic and technical information about energy matters and makes the Department of Energy's technical and analytical expertise available to other members of the Intelligence Community PHS, United States Public Health Service - an agency that serves as the office of Surgeon General; includes agencies whose mission is to improve the public health National Institutes of Health, NIH - an agency in the Department of Health and Human Services whose mission is to employ science in the pursuit of knowledge to improve human health; is the principal biomedical research agency of the federal government BJA, Bureau of Justice Assistance - the bureau in the Department of Justice that assists local criminal justice systems to reduce or prevent crime and violence and drug abuse BJS, Bureau of Justice Statistics - the agency in the Department of Justice that is the primary source of criminal justice statistics for federal and local policy makers Immigration and Naturalization Service, INS - an agency in the Department of Justice that enforces laws and regulations for the admission of foreign-born persons to the United States United States Border Patrol, US Border Patrol - the mobile law enforcement arm of the Immigration and Naturalization Service that detects and prevents illegal entry of aliens into the United States Bureau of Diplomatic Security, DS - the bureau in the State Department that is responsible for the security of diplomats and embassies overseas Foreign Service - the part of the State Department that supplies diplomats for the United States embassies and consulates around the world Bureau of Intelligence and Research, INR - an agency that is the primary source in the State Department for interpretive analyses of global developments and focal point for policy issues and activities of the Intelligence Community FWS, United States Fish and Wildlife Service, US Fish and Wildlife Service - an agency in the Department of the Interior that conserves and protects fish and wildlife and their habitats; assesses the environmental impact of pesticides and nuclear power site and hydroelectric dams and thermal pollution
	6.	authority - official permission or approval; "authority for the program was renewed several times" authorisation, authorization, sanction permission - approval to do something; "he asked permission to leave"
	7.	authority - an authoritative written work; "this book is the final authority on the life of Milton" book - a written work or composition that has been published (printed on pages bound together); "I am reading a good book on economics" last word - an authoritative statement; "my doctor has the last word on the medicines I take"

authority

noun

1. (usually plural) powers that be, government, police, officials, the state, management, administration, the system, the Establishment, Big Brother (informal), officialdom This was a pretext for the authorities to cancel the elections.

2. prerogative, right, influence, might, force, power, control, charge, rule, government, weight, strength, direction, command, licence, privilege, warrant, say-so, sway, domination, jurisdiction, supremacy, dominion, ascendancy, mana (N.Z.) The judge has no authority to order a second trial.

3. expert, specialist, professional, master, ace (informal), scholar, guru, buff (informal), wizard, whizz (informal), virtuoso, connoisseur, boffin (Brit. informal), arbiter, hotshot (informal), fundi (S. African) He's an authority on Russian affairs.

4. command, power, control, rule, management, direction, grasp, sway, domination, mastery, dominion He has no natural authority.

5. permission, leave, permit, sanction, licence, approval, go-ahead (informal), liberty, consent, warrant, say-so, tolerance, justification, green light, assent, authorization, dispensation, carte blanche, a blank cheque, sufferance He must first be given authority from his own superiors.

Quotations
"Authority is never without hate" [Euripides Ion]
"I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me; and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it" Bible: St. Matthew

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

authority

noun

1. The right and power to command, decide, rule, or judge:

command, control, domination, dominion, jurisdiction, mastery, might, power, prerogative, sovereignty, sway.

Informal: say-so.

2. A person or group having the right and power to command, decide, rule, or judge:

official.

Idioms: powers that be, the Man.

3. Conferred power:

faculty, mandate, right.

Law: competence, competency.

4. A person with a high degree of knowledge or skill in a particular field:

ace, adept, dab hand, expert, master, past master, professional, proficient, wizard.

Informal: whiz.

Slang: crackerjack.

Chiefly British: dab.

Translations

حُجّـه، ثِقه، مَرجِع، مَصدَر مَوثوقسُلْطان، صَلاحِيَّه، نُفوذسلطةسُلْطَهسُلْطَه، تَفويض

autoritaodborníkpravomocúřady

autoritetekspertmyndighedmyndighederrespekt

Autorität Behörde Obrigkeit Vollmacht Dienststelle

αρχή εξουσία

instanco

autoridad facultad

asiantuntijaauktoriteettikäskyvaltavaikutusvaltaviranomaiset

autorité

hatóságszaktekintély

sérfræîingurvaldvaldhafarvaldsmannslegur

autorità autoritario autorizzazione fonte autorevole

当局権威

autoritarinisautoritetasautoritetingasįgaliojimaspavedimas

autoritātepilnvaraspeciāliststiesībasvaras institūcijas

bevoegdheid

autoritet myndighet myndighetene respekt

autorytet władza

autoritate

авторитет власть влияние

úrad

oblastpooblastilopristojnost

etkileme gücüuzman yetkiyetkililer

威信官方当局权力权威

authority

[ɔːˈθɒrɪtɪ] N

1. (= power) → autoridad f
those in authority → los que tienen la autoridad
who is in authority here? → ¿quién manda aquí?
to be in authority over → tener autoridad sobre

2. (= authorization) to give sb the authority to do sth → autorizar a algn a hacer algo, autorizar a algn para que haga algo
to have authority to do sth → tener autoridad or estar autorizado para hacer algo
on one's own authority → por su propia autoridad
to do sth without authority → hacer algo sin tener autorización

3. (= official body) → autoridad f
the authorities → las autoridades
the customs authorities → las autoridades aduaneras
to apply to the proper authorities → dirigirse a la autoridad competente
see also health, local, regional

4. (= expert) → autoridad f
he's an authority (on) → es una autoridad (en)

5. (= expert opinion) → autoridad f
on the authority of Plato → con la autoridad de Platón
I have it on good authority that → sé de buena fuente que ...

6. (= authoritativeness) → autoridad f
to speak with authority → hablar con autoridad or con conocimiento de causa

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

authority

[ɔːˈθɒrɪti] n

(= power to give orders) → autorité f
to have the authority to do sth → avoir autorité pour faire qch
those in authority → ceux qui nous dirigent

(= confidence) → autorité f

(= permission) → autorisation f
to have authority to do sth → être autorisé(e) à faire qch
The bank closed my account without my authority → La banque a clôturé mon compte sans mon autorisation.

(= group) → autorités fpl
the authorities → les autorités fpl
the prison authorities → les autorités carcérales

(= expert) → autorité f
an authority on sth → une autorité dans le domaine de qch
a world authority → une autorité au niveau mondial

to have it on good authority that ... → savoir de source sûre que ...

authority

(= power) → Autorität f; (= right, entitlement) → Befugnis f; (= specifically delegated power) → Vollmacht f; (Mil) → Befehlsgewalt f; people who are in authority → Menschen, die Autorität haben; the person in authority → der Zuständige or Verantwortliche; who’s in authority here? → wer ist hier der Verantwortliche?; I’m in authority here! → hier bestimme ich!; parental authority → Autorität der Eltern; (Jur) → elterliche Gewalt; to be in or have authority over somebody → Weisungsbefugnis gegenüber jdm haben (form); (describing hierarchy) → jdm übergeordnet sein; to put somebody in authority over somebody → jdm die Verantwortung für jdn übertragen; those who are put in authority over us → diejenigen, deren Aufsicht wir unterstehen; the Queen and those in authority under her → die Königin und die ihr untergebenen Verantwortlichen; to be under the authority of somebody → unter jds Aufsicht (dat) → stehen; (in hierarchy) → jdm unterstehen; (Mil) → jds Befehlsgewalt (dat) → unterstehen; on one’s own authority → auf eigene Verantwortung; you’ll have to ask a teacher for the authority to take the key → du brauchst die Erlaubnis or Genehmigung des Lehrers, wenn du den Schlüssel haben willst; under or by what authority do you claim the right to …? → mit welcher Berechtigung verlangen Sie, dass …?; to have the authority to do something → berechtigt or befugt sein, etw zu tun; to have no authority to do something → nicht befugt or berechtigt sein, etw zu tun; he was exceeding his area of authority → er hat seinen Kompetenzbereich or seine Befugnisse überschritten; to give somebody the authority to do something → jdn ermächtigen (form) → or jdm die Vollmacht erteilen, etw zu tun; he had my authority to do it → ich habe es ihm gestattet or erlaubt; to have full authority to act → volle Handlungsvollmacht haben; to do something on somebody’s authority → etw in jds Auftrag (dat) → tun; who gave you the authority to do that? → wer hat Sie dazu berechtigt?; who gave you the authority to treat people like that? → mit welchem Recht glaubst du, Leute so behandeln zu können?

(also pl: = ruling body) → Behörde f, → Amt nt; (= body of people) → Verwaltung f; (= power of ruler) → (Staats)gewalt f, → Obrigkeit f; the university authorities → die Universitätsverwaltung; the water authority → die Wasserbehörde; the local authority or authorities → die Gemeindeverwaltung; the Prussian respect for authority → das preußische Obrigkeitsdenken; the concept of authority in a state → der Autoritätsgedanke im Staat; they appealed to the supreme authority of the House of Lords → sie wandten sich an die höchste Autorität or Instanz, das Oberhaus; this will have to be decided by a higher authority → das muss an höherer Stelle entschieden werden; to represent authority → die Staatsgewalt verkörpern; the father represents authority → der Vater verkörpert die Autorität; you must have respect for authority → du musst Achtung gegenüber Respektspersonen haben

(= weight, influence) → Autorität f; to have or carry (great) authority → viel gelten (with bei); (person also) → (große or viel) Autorität haben (with bei); to speak/write with authority → mit Sachkunde or mit der Autorität des Sachkundigen sprechen/schreiben; I/he can speak with authority on this matter → darüber kann ich mich/kann er sich kompetent äußern; to give an order with authority → einen Befehl mit der nötigen Autorität geben; to appeal to the authority of precedent → auf einen Präzedenzfall zurückgreifen

(= expert) → Autorität f, → Fachmann m → /-frau f; I’m no authority but … → ich bin kein Fachmann/keine Fachfrau, aber …; he is an authority on art → er ist eine Autorität or ein Fachmann auf dem Gebiet der Kunst

(= definitive book etc) → (anerkannte) Autorität f; (= source) → Quelle f; to have something on good authority → etw aus zuverlässiger Quelle wissen; on the best authority → aus bester Quelle; on whose authority do you have that? → aus welcher Quelle haben Sie das?

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

authority

[ɔːˈθɒrɪtɪ]

1. n

a. (power) → autorità; (permission) → autorizzazione f
those in authority → i dirigenti, i governanti
to be in authority over → dare gli ordini a
to have authority to do sth → avere l'autorizzazione a fare or il diritto di fare qc

b. the authorities npl (government, council) → le autorità
the health authorities → l'autorità sg sanitaria

c. (expert) he's an authority (on) → è un'autorità (in materia di)
I have it on good authority that ... → so da fonte sicura or autorevole che...

authority

(oːˈθorəti) – plural auˈthorities – noun

1. the power or right to do something. He gave me authority to act on his behalf.

2. a person who is an expert, or a book that can be referred to, on a particular subject. He is an authority on Roman history.

3. (usually in plural) the person or people who have power in an administration etc. The authorities would not allow public meetings.

4. a natural quality in a person which makes him able to control and influence people. a man of authority.

auˌthoriˈtarian adjective

considering obedience to authority more important than personal freedom. an authoritarian government.

auˈthoritative (-tətiv) , ((American) -teitiv) adjective

said or written by an expert or a person in authority. an authoritative opinion.

authority

n. autoridad, facultad.