1. Legal or rightful power; a right to command or to act; power exercised buy a person in virtue of his office or trust; dominion; jurisdiction; authorization; as, the authority of a prince over subjects, and of parents over children; the authority of a court. Thus can the demigod, Authority, Make us pay down for our offense. Shak. By what authority doest thou these things Matt. xxi. 23.
2. Government; the persons or the body exercising power or command; as, the local authorities of the States; the military authorities. [Chiefly in the plural.]
3. The power derived from opinion, respect, or esteem; influence of character, office, or station, or mental or moral superiority, and the like; claim to be believed or obeyed; as, an historian of no authority; a magistrate of great authority.
4. That which, or one who, is claimed or appealed to in support of opinions, actions, measures, etc. Hence: (a) Testimony; witness. "And on that high authority had believed." Milton. (b) A precedent; a decision of a court, an official declaration, or an opinion, saying, or statement worthy to be taken as a precedent. (c) A book containing such a statement or opinion, or the author of the book. (d) Justification; warrant. Wilt thou be glass wherein it shall discern Authority for sin, warrant for blame. Shak.
AUTHORIZABLE
Au"thor*i`za*ble, a. Etym: [LL. authorisabilis.]
Defn: Capable of being authorized. Hammond.
AUTHORIZATION
Au`thor*i*za"tion, n. Etym: [Cf. F. autorisation.]
Defn: The act of giving authority or legal power; establishment by
authority; sanction or warrant.
The authorization of laws. Motley.
A special authorization from the chief. Merivale.
AUTHORIZE
Au"thor*ize, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Authorized (; p. pr. & vb. n.
Authorizing.] Etym: [OE. autorize, F. autoriser, fr. LL. auctorizare,
authorisare. See Author.]
1. To clothe with authority, warrant, or legal power; to give a right to act; to empower; as, to authorize commissioners to settle a boundary.