The definition of the word authority

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest judicial authority in the United States of America.

In the fields of sociology and political science, authority is the legitimate power of a person or group over other people.[1] In a civil state, authority is practiced in ways such a judicial branch or an executive branch of government.[2]

In the exercise of governance, the terms authority and power are inaccurate synonyms. The term authority identifies the political legitimacy, which grants and justifies the ruler’s right to exercise the power of government; and the term power identifies the ability to accomplish an authorized goal, either by compliance or by obedience; hence, authority is the power to make decisions and the legitimacy to make such legal decisions and order their execution.[3]

History[edit]

Ancient understandings of authority trace back to Rome and draw later from Catholic (Thomistic) thought and other traditional understandings. In more modern terms, forms of authority include transitional authority (exhibited in, for example, Cambodia),[4] public authority in the form of popular power, and, in more administrative terms, bureaucratic or managerial techniques. In terms of bureaucratic governance, one limitation of the governmental agents of the executive branch, as outlined by George A. Krause, is that they are not as close to the popular will as elected representatives are.[5] The claims of authority can extend to national or individual sovereignty, which is broadly or provisionally understood as a claim to political authority that is legitimated.[6]

Historical applications of authority in political terms include the formation of the city-state of Geneva, and experimental treatises involving the topic of authority in relation to education include Emile, or On Education by Jean-Jacques Rousseau. As David Laitin defines, authority is a key concept to be defined in determining the range and role of political theory, science and inquiry.[7] The relevance of a grounded understanding of authority includes the basic foundation and formation of political, civil and/or ecclesiastical institutions or representatives. In recent years, however, authority in political contexts has been challenged or questioned.

Political philosophy[edit]

There have been several contributions to the debate of political authority. Among others, Hannah Arendt, Carl Joachim Friedrich, Thomas Hobbes, Alexandre Kojève and Carl Schmitt have provided some of the most influential texts.

In European political philosophy, the jurisdiction of political authority, the location of sovereignty, the balancing of notions of freedom and authority,[8] and the requirements of political obligations have been core questions from the time of Plato and Aristotle to the present. Most democratic societies are engaged in an ongoing discussion regarding the legitimate extent of the exercise of governmental authority. In the United States, for instance, there is a prevailing belief that the political system as instituted by the Founding Fathers should accord the populace as much freedom as reasonable; that government should limit its authority accordingly, known as limited government.

Political anarchism is a philosophy which rejects the legitimacy of political authority and adherence to any form of sovereign rule or autonomy of a nation-state.[2] An argument for political anarchy is made by Michael Huemer in his book The Problem of Political Authority. On the other side, one of the main arguments for the legitimacy of the state is some form of the social contract theory developed by Thomas Hobbes in his 1668 book, Leviathan, or by Jean-Jacques Rousseau in his political writings on the social contract.

Sociology[edit]

Since the emergence of the social sciences, authority has become a subject of research in a variety of empirical settings: the family (parental authority), small groups (informal authority of leadership), intermediate organizations such as schools, churches, armies, industries and bureaucracies (organizational and bureaucratic authority), and society-wide or inclusive organizations, ranging from the most primitive tribal society to the modern nation-state and intermediate organization (political authority).

The definition of authority in contemporary social science remains a matter of debate. Max Weber in his essay «Politics as a Vocation» (1919) divided legitimate authority into three types. Others, like Howard Bloom, suggest a parallel between authority and respect/reverence for ancestors.[9]

United Kingdom and the Commonwealth realms[edit]

The political authority in the British context can be traced to James VI and I of Scotland who wrote two political treatises called Basilikon Doron and The True Law of Free Monarchies: Or, The Reciprocal and Mutual Duty Between a Free King and His Natural Subjects which advocated his right to rule on the basis of the concept of the divine right of kings, a theological concept that has a basis in multiple religions, but in this case, Christianity, tracing this right to the apostolic succession.

Sovereign kings and queens in the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth realms are considered the foundations of judicial, legislative and executive authority.

United States[edit]

The understanding of political authority and the exercise of political powers in the American context traces back to the writings of the Founding Fathers, including the arguments put forward in The Federalist Papers by James Madison, Alexander Hamilton and the first chief justice of the United States John Jay, and later speeches by the 16th president of the United States Abraham Lincoln. «Our government rests in public opinion,» Lincoln said in 1856.[10]: 21  In his 1854 speech at Peoria, Illinois, Lincoln espoused the proposition “that each man should do precisely as he pleases with all which is exclusively his own,» a principle existing «at the foundation of the sense of justice.»[10]: 47  This sense of personal ownership and stewardship was integral to the practice of self-government as Lincoln saw it by a Republican nation and its people. This was because, as Lincoln also declared, «No man is good enough to govern another man, without that other’s consent.»[10]: 48 

The U.S. president is called to give account to the legislature for the conduct of the whole government, including that of regulatory agencies. The president influences the appointments, the budgeting process and has the right and capacity to review regulatory rules on a case-by-case basis. Since the time of the Reagan administration the president was informed with a cost–benefit analysis of the regulation.[11] The creation of a regulatory agency requires an Act of Congress which specifies its jurisdiction, the related authority and delegated powers. Regulatory authorities can be qualified as independent agencies or executive branch agencies, a choice which is the reason of struggle between congress and the president as well as with the American courts. The latter’s role is limited by the authorities’ power to regulate property rights without the due process rights mandatorily applied by the courts.[11]

See also[edit]

  • Authority bias
  • Authority (management)
  • Anti-authoritarianism
  • Appeal to authority
  • Auctoritas
  • Authoritarianism
  • Discipline
  • Fidelity
  • Milgram experiment
  • Morale
  • Political theology
  • Protection
  • Petty authority
  • Question authority

References[edit]

  1. ^ Bealey, Frank (1999). The Blackwell Dictionary of Political Science: A User’s Guide to Its Terms. pp. 22–23. ISBN 0-631-20694-9.
  2. ^ a b The New Fontana Dictionary of Modern Thought Third Edition, Allan Bullock and Stephen Trombley, Eds. p. 115.
  3. ^ The New Fontana Dictionary of Modern Thought Third Edition, Allan Bullock and Stephen Trombley, Eds. pp. 677–678.
  4. ^ Widyono, Benny (Oct 2014). «United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia (UNTAC)».
  5. ^ Krause, George A. (2010). Durant, Robert F. (ed.). «Legislative Delegation of Authority to Bureaucratic Agencies». The Oxford Handbook of American Bureaucracy. New York: Oxford University Press. p. 524.
  6. ^ Glanville, Luke (2016). Bellamy, Alex J. (ed.). «Sovereignty». The Oxford Handbook of the Responsibility to Protect. New York: Oxford University Press. p. 153.
  7. ^ Laitin, David (1998). «Toward a Political Science Discipline: Authority Patterns Revisited». Comparative Political Studies. 31 (4): 423–443. doi:10.1177/0010414098031004002. S2CID 146736449.
  8. ^ Cristi, Renato (2005). Hegel on Freedom and Authority. Cardiff, Wales: University of Wales Press.
  9. ^ Bloom, Howard (2010). The Genius of the Beast: a radical re-vision of capitalism. Amherst, New York: Prometheus Books. p. 186. ISBN 978-1-59102-754-6. To validate an argument, we refer back to our ancestors – or to someone who, while still alive, has already garnered the sort of authority only ancestors normally have.
  10. ^ a b c Guelzo, Allen C. (2012). Lincoln Speeches. New York: Penguin Books.
  11. ^ a b John Ferejohn (2004). The Authority of Regulation and the Control of Regulators. Droit et économie de la régulation. Cairn.info. pp. 35–37. ISBN 9782724686463. OCLC 7292576035. Archived from the original on October 3, 2020 – via archive.today/IA9DF archive.is].

Further reading[edit]

  • Giorgio Agamben, State of Exception (2005)
  • Hannah Arendt, «Authority in the Twentieth Century.» Review of Politics (1956)
  • Hannah Arendt, On Violence (1970)
  • Józef Maria Bocheński, Was ist Autorität? (1974)
  • Renato Cristi, Hegel on Freedom and Authority (2005)
  • Carl Joachim Friedrich, Authority. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press (1958)
  • Carl Joachim Friedrich, An Introduction to Political Theory: Twelve Lectures at Harvard. New York: Harper & Row (1967)
  • Carl Joachim Friedrich, Tradition and Authority. London: Macmillan (1972)
  • Robert E. Goodin (ed), The Oxford Handbook of Political Science (2011)
  • Sebastian De Grazia. (1959). «What Authority Is Not». American Political Science Review 53(2): 321–331.
  • Patrick Hayden, Hannah Arendt: Key Concepts (2014), esp. Chapter 8
  • Alexandre Kojève, «The Notion of Authority» (2014)
  • Rafael Domingo Osle, Auctoritas (1999)
  • Gail Radford, The Rise of the Public Authority: Statebuilding and Economic Development in Twentieth-Century America (2013)
  • Carl Schmitt, Der Begriff des Politischen [The Concept of the Political] (1932)
  • Max Weber, Economy and Society (1922)
  • Max Weber, Politics as a Vocation (1919)

External links[edit]

Wikiquote has quotations related to Authority.

  • The dictionary definition of authority at Wiktionary
  • «Political Obligation». Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy.
  • Appeal to Authority Breakdown
  • Christiano, Tom. «Authority». In Zalta, Edward N. (ed.). Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy.
  • Four essays published in the International Journal of Philosophical Studies from the Robert Papazian Essay Prize Competition on Authority
Источник

1

a

: power to influence or command thought, opinion, or behavior

the president’s authority

b

: freedom granted by one in authority : right

Who gave you the authority to do as you wish?

2

a

: persons in command

specifically

: government

the local authorities of each state

b

: a governmental agency or corporation to administer a revenue-producing public enterprise

the city’s housing authority

3

b

: convincing force

lent authority to the performance

4

a(1)

: a citation (as from a book or file) used in defense or support

(2)

: the source from which the citation is drawn

He quoted extensively from the Bible, his sole authority.

b(1)

: a conclusive statement or set of statements (such as an official decision of a court)

(2)

: a decision taken as a precedent

c

: an individual cited or appealed to as an expert

The prosecutor called the psychiatrist as an authority.

Synonyms

Choose the Right Synonym for authority



used her influence to get the bill passed

authority implies the power of winning devotion or allegiance or of compelling acceptance and belief.



his opinions lacked authority

prestige implies the ascendancy given by conspicuous excellence or reputation for superiority.



the prestige of the newspaper

weight implies measurable or decisive influence in determining acts or choices.



their wishes obviously carried much weight

credit suggests influence that arises from the confidence of others.



his credit with the press



the power to mold public opinion

authority implies power for a specific purpose within specified limits.



granted the authority to manage her estate

jurisdiction applies to official power exercised within prescribed limits.



the bureau having jurisdiction over parks

control stresses the power to direct and restrain.



you are responsible for the students under your control

command implies the power to make arbitrary decisions and compel obedience.



the army officer in command

sway suggests the extent of exercised power or influence.



the empire extended its sway over the region

dominion stresses sovereign power or supreme authority.



given dominion over all the animals

Example Sentences



The boss is not popular but his authority is unquestioned.



She has an air of authority.



Her southern accent lent authority to her performance.



We reported the incident to hospital authorities.



Local authorities are investigating the accident.

Recent Examples on the Web

French was then able to gain control of the taser and tased the officer, authorities say.


—John Sharp | , al, 7 Apr. 2023




The dead were between the ages of 5 and 7, authorities said.


—Laís Martins And Lucas Dumphreys, USA TODAY, 6 Apr. 2023




The driver initially crashed into a guardrail, but kept heading southbound on the interstate, authorities said.


—Pilar Arias, Fox News, 6 Apr. 2023




Vehicle registration records led them to Watley, who was arrested Sunday, authorities said.


—Mark Thiessen, Becky Bohrer, Anchorage Daily News, 6 Apr. 2023




Another bill, from 2022, prohibits law enforcement and health providers from cooperating with authorities in other states, such as Texas or Florida, that may seek to prosecute parents for seeking gender-affirming health care for transgender kids.


—Dustin Gardiner, San Francisco Chronicle, 6 Apr. 2023




The dead were between the ages of 5 and 7, authorities said.


—Laís Martins And David Biller, Chicago Tribune, 5 Apr. 2023




Three people were found dead Wednesday inside a building in downtown Los Angeles, authorities said.


—Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 5 Apr. 2023




Nena Zimmer—The Jonesboro Sun/AP A tornado that tore through southeastern Missouri on Wednesday caused widespread destruction and killed and injured multiple people, authorities said.


—Scott Mcfettridge, Fortune, 5 Apr. 2023


See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word ‘authority.’ Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English auctorite, from Anglo-French auctorité, from Latin auctoritat-, auctoritas opinion, decision, power, from auctor — see author entry 1

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 4a

Time Traveler

The first known use of authority was
in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near authority

Cite this Entry

“Authority.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/authority. Accessed 14 Apr. 2023.

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Merriam-Webster unabridged

Источник

English[edit]

Alternative forms[edit]

  • authourity, authoritie, autority, auctoritie (obsolete)

Etymology[edit]

From Middle English auctorite, autorite (“authority, book or quotation that settles an argument”), from Old French auctorité, from Latin stem of auctōritās (“invention, advice, opinion, influence, command”), from auctor (“master, leader, author”). For the presence of the h, compare the etymology of author.

Pronunciation[edit]

  • (UK) IPA(key): /ɔːˈθɒɹəti/, /ɔːˈθɒɹɪti/
  • (US) IPA(key): /əˈθɔɹəti/, /əˈθɑɹəti/
  • (obsolete) IPA(key): /ɒːˈtɒɹɪti/
  • Hyphenation: au‧thor‧i‧ty
  • Rhymes: -ɒɹɪti

Noun[edit]

authority (countable and uncountable, plural authorities)

  1. (uncountable) Power or right to make or enforce rules or give orders; or a position having such power or right.
    Synonyms: command, rulership, sovereignty

    I have the authority to penalise the staff in my department, but not the authority to sack them.

    Vigilantes may have the power to nab criminals, but they lack the authority.

    She lost all respect and authority after turning up drunk at the meeting.

    Respect my authority!

    • 1777, Richard Brinsley Sheridan, The School for Scandal, II.i:
      SIR PETER. Very well! ma’am very well! so a husband is to have no influence, no authority?
      LADY TEAZLE. Authority! no, to be sure—if you wanted authority over me, you should have adopted me and not married me[:] I am sure you were old enough.
  2. (plural) Persons, regarded collectively, who occupy official positions of power; police or law enforcement.

    Authorities say the suspect fled on foot.

    • 1927, F. E. Penny, chapter 4, in Pulling the Strings:

      The case was that of a murder. It had an element of mystery about it, however, which was puzzling the authorities. A turban and loincloth soaked in blood had been found; also a staff.

    • 2013 August 10, “Legal highs: A new prescription”, in The Economist, volume 408, number 8848:

      No sooner has a [synthetic] drug been blacklisted than chemists adjust their recipe and start churning out a subtly different one. These “legal highs” are sold for the few months it takes the authorities to identify and ban them, and then the cycle begins again.

  3. (countable) A reliable, definitive source of information on a subject.

    the world’s foremost authority on orangutans

    My cheap dictionary is not the authority on word derivations.

    • 1930 September 18, Albert Einstein, as quoted in Albert Einstein: Creator and Rebel (1988) by Banesh Hoffman
      To punish me for my contempt of authority, Fate has made me an authority myself.
  4. (uncountable) Status as a trustworthy source of information, reputation for mastery or expertise; or claim to such status or reputation.
    Synonyms: cred, gravitas

    Some thinkers regard appealing to authority as a logical fallacy; others regard it as a legitimate form of argument.

  5. (uncountable) Official permission; authorisation to act in some capacity on behalf of a ruling entity.

    • 1964 July, “XP64: New Standard Carriage Project”, in Modern Railways, page 2:

      Authority to construct eight carriages, to test the new design in public service, had already been given; but of course complete working drawings had first to be prepared.

  6. (countable) A government-owned agency that runs a revenue-generating activity for public benefit.

    New York Port Authority

    Chicago Transit Authority

Derived terms[edit]

  • aileron authority
  • antiauthority
  • appeal to authority
  • authoritah
  • authority control
  • authority figure
  • authority issues
  • authorityless
  • certificate authority
  • color of authority
  • elevator authority
  • moral authority
  • multiauthority
  • port authority
  • postal authority
  • public authority
  • rudder authority
  • signature authority
  • statutory authority
  • tax authority
  • unitary authority
  • verbal authority

[edit]

  • author
  • authoritarian
  • authoritative
  • authorization

Translations[edit]

power to enforce rules or give orders

  • Afrikaans: gesag
  • Albanian: autoritet (sq)
  • Apache:
    Western Apache: hashidilaa
  • Arabic: سُلْطَة‎ f (sulṭa)
  • Aragonese: autoridat f
  • Armenian: հեղինակություն (hy) (hełinakutʿyun)
  • Azerbaijani: nüfuz (az)
  • Bashkir: дәүләт (däwlät), хөкүмәт (xökümät)
  • Belarusian: ўла́да f (ŭláda)
  • Bulgarian: власт (bg) f (vlast), авторите́т (bg) m (avtoritét)
  • Catalan: autoritat (ca) f
  • Chinese:
    Mandarin: 權力／权力 (zh) (quánlì), 權威／权威 (zh) (quánwēi)
  • Cornish: awtorita m
  • Czech: autorita (cs) f
  • Danish: myndighed
  • Dutch: bevoegdheid (nl) f, gezag (nl) n
  • Esperanto: aŭtoritato (eo)
  • Estonian: võim
  • Ewe: ŋusẽ
  • Finnish: auktoriteetti (fi), käskyvalta (fi), vaikutusvalta (fi), valta (fi)
  • French: autorité (fr) f
  • Galician: autoridade (gl) f
  • Georgian: უფლებამოსილება (uplebamosileba), ხელისუფლება (xelisupleba), ძალაუფლება (ʒalaupleba), რწმუნებულება (rc̣munebuleba)
  • German: Autorität (de) f
  • Gothic: 𐍅𐌰𐌻𐌳𐌿𐍆𐌽𐌹 n (waldufni)
  • Greek: εξουσία (el) f (exousía), αρχή (el) f (archí)
    Ancient: ἐξουσία f (exousía), ἀρχή (arkhḗ)
  • Hebrew: סמכות‎ (he) f (samkhut), אוֹטוֹרִיטָה‎ (he) f (otorita)
  • Hungarian: felhatalmazás (hu), meghatalmazás (hu), hatalom (hu), tekintély (hu)
  • Indonesian: otoritas (id)
  • Interlingua: autoritate
  • Irish: údarás m, urlámhas m
  • Italian: autorità (it) f
  • Japanese: 権力 (ja) (けんりょく, kenryoku), 権威 (ja) (けんい, ken’i), 強権 (ja) (きょうけん, kyōken)
  • Korean: 권력 (ko) (gwollyeok), 권능 (gwonneung)
  • Kurdish:
    Central Kurdish: دەسەڵات‎ (desellat), بەردەستی‎ (ckb) (berdestî)
  • Kyrgyz: бийлик (ky) (biylik), чоңдор (ky) (çoŋdor), башчы (ky) (başçı), авторитет (ky) (avtoritet), ыйгарым укук (ky) (ıygarım ukuk), авторитет (ky) (avtoritet), бедел (ky) (bedel), кадыр (ky) (kadır), кадыр-барк (ky) (kadır-bark) негиз (ky) (negiz), түп (ky) (tüp), уруксат (ky) (uruksat), авторитеттүүлүк (ky) (avtoritettüülük), беделдүүлүк (ky) (bedeldüülük), кадырлуулук (ky) (kadırluuluk), билгич (ky) (bilgiç)
  • Latin: auctōritās f
  • Luxembourgish: Autoritéit f
  • Malay: autoriti
  • Malayalam: അധികാരം (ml) (adhikāraṃ)
  • Maltese: awtoritá
  • Maore Comorian: yezi class 9
  • Maori: kanoi, whakaruruhau, manatū
  • Mbyá Guaraní: po’aka
  • Middle English: auctorite
  • Old English: ealdordōm m
  • Polish: autorytet (pl) m, powaga (pl) f
  • Portuguese: autoridade (pt) f
  • Romanian: autoritate (ro) f
  • Russian: власть (ru) f (vlastʹ)
  • Scottish Gaelic: ùghdarras m
  • Slovak: autorita f
  • Slovene: avtoriteta f
  • Spanish: autoridad (es) f
  • Swahili: mamlaka (sw)
  • Swedish: auktoritet (sv) c
  • Telugu: అధికారము (te) (adhikāramu)
  • Thai: อำนาจ (th) (am-nâat)
  • Turkish: otorite (tr), yetki (tr)
  • Ukrainian: вла́да (uk) f (vláda)
  • Vietnamese: quyền lực (vi) (權力)
  • Welsh: awdurdod (cy) m
  • Yiddish: אויטאָריטעט‎ f (oytoritet)

police or law enforcement collectively

  • Albanian: autoritet (sq)
  • Armenian: իշխանություն (hy) (išxanutʿyun)
  • Bulgarian: вла́сти (bg) f pl (vlásti)
  • Chinese:
    Mandarin: 當局／当局 (zh) (dāngjú)
  • Cornish: awtorita m
  • Czech: autorita (cs) f
  • Dutch: autoriteit (nl) f, autoriteiten (nl) f pl (usually plural), gezag (nl) n, overheid (nl) f
  • Esperanto: instanco
  • Estonian: võim
  • Finnish: viranomaiset (fi)
  • French: autorité (fr) f
  • Georgian: ხელისუფლება (xelisupleba)
  • German: Autorität (de) f; Behörde (de) f
  • Greek: αρχές (el) f pl (archés)
  • Hebrew: רשויות‎ f pl (rashuyot)
  • Hungarian: hatóság (hu), szakhatóság, felügyelet (hu), főfelügyelet
  • Indonesian: otoritas (id)
  • Interlingua: autoritate
  • Irish: údarás m
  • Italian: autorità (it) f
  • Japanese: 当局 (ja) (とうきょく, tōkyoku)
  • Korean: 권력자 (gweonnyeokja)
  • Malay: pihak berkuasa
  • Malayalam: അധികാരികൾ (adhikārikaḷ)
  • Maltese: awtoritarju m, awtoritarja f
  • Norwegian:
    Bokmål: styresmakt m or f, styremakt m or f
    Nynorsk: styremakt f, styresmakt f
  • Oromo: aangoo (om)
  • Polish: władza (pl) f
  • Portuguese: autoridade (pt) f
  • Romanian: autoritate (ro) f, autorități (ro) f pl
  • Russian: власть (ru) f (vlastʹ), (usually plural) вла́сти (ru) f pl (vlásti)
  • Scottish Gaelic: ùghdarras m
  • Slovene: avtoriteta f
  • Spanish: policía (es) f, autoridades (es) f pl, fuerzas del orden f pl
  • Swahili: mamlaka (sw)
  • Swedish: myndighet (sv) c
  • Thai: เจ้าหน้าที่ (th) (jâao-nâa-tîi)
  • Turkish: salahiyetliler pl (obsolescent), yetkililer (tr) pl
  • Ukrainian: вла́да (uk) f (vláda)
  • Welsh: awdurdod (cy) m

reliable source of information on a subject

  • Albanian: autoritet (sq)
  • Armenian: հեղինակություն (hy) (hełinakutʿyun)
  • Bulgarian: познавач (bg) m (poznavač), авторите́т (bg) m (avtoritét)
  • Chinese:
    Mandarin: 權威／权威 (zh) (quánwēi)
  • Cornish: awtorita m
  • Czech: autorita (cs) f
  • Dutch: autoriteit (nl) f
  • Estonian: asjatundja
  • Finnish: asiantuntija (fi), auktoriteetti (fi)
  • French: autorité (fr) f
  • German: Autorität (de) f
  • Greek: αυθεντία (el) f (afthentía)
  • Hebrew: בר-סמכא‎ m (bar-samkha)
  • Hungarian: tekintély (hu), szaktekintély
  • Interlingua: autoritate
  • Irish: údarás m
  • Italian: autorità (it) f
  • Japanese: 権威 (ja) (けんい, ken’i)
  • Korean: 권위자 (gwonwija)
  • Maori: kanoi
  • Polish: autorytet (pl) m, arbiter (pl) m, powaga (pl) f
  • Portuguese: autoridade (pt) f
  • Romanian: autoritate (ro) f
  • Russian: авторите́т (ru) m (avtoritét)
  • Scottish Gaelic: ùghdarras m
  • Slovene: avtoriteta f
  • Spanish: autoridad (es) f
  • Turkish: bilirkişi (tr), uzman (tr), yetkili (tr)
  • Ukrainian: авторите́т (uk) m (avtorytét)
  • Welsh: awdurdod (cy) m
  • Yiddish: אויטאָריטעט‎ m (oytoritet)

reliability, trustworthiness, or expertise

government agency that runs a revenue-generating activity

See also[edit]

  • have something on good authority

References[edit]

  • authority at OneLook Dictionary Search
  • authority in Keywords for Today: A 21st Century Vocabulary, edited by The Keywords Project, Colin MacCabe, Holly Yanacek, 2018.
  • “authority”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.
  • “authority”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.
Источник

au·thor·i·ty

 (ə-thôr′ĭ-tē, ə-thŏr′-, ô-)

n. pl. au·thor·i·ties

1.

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.

4.

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.

Random House Kernerman Webster’s College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Noun 1. authority - the power or right to give orders or make decisionsauthority — 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 othersauthority — (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 doubtauthority — 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 governmentauthority — 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 approvalauthority — 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»

Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.

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.

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

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

Chiefly British: dab.

The American Heritage® Roget’s Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Translations

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

autoritaodborníkpravomocúřady

autoritetekspertmyndighedmyndighederrespekt

instanco

asiantuntijaauktoriteettikäskyvaltavaikutusvaltaviranomaiset

hatóságszaktekintély

sérfræîingurvaldvaldhafarvaldsmannslegur

当局権威

autoritarinisautoritetasautoritetingasįgaliojimaspavedimas

autoritātepilnvaraspeciāliststiesībasvaras institūcijas

autoritate

úrad

oblastpooblastilopristojnost

authority

[ɔːˈθɒrɪtɪ] N

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

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

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

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

authority

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

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…

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

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.

Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.

authority

n. autoridad, facultad.

English-Spanish Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012

Источник
authority

сущ.

1)

,

юр.

власть ; право ; полномочие; сфера компетенции

authority of law — власть закона

autonomous authority — автономная власть

authority to punish — власть наказывать

level of authority — уровень полномочий

appropriate authority — надлежащие полномочия

He has authority to act on our behalf. — У него есть право действовать от нашего имени.

Syn:

See:

administrative authority, agent’s authority, authority to pay, authority to purchase, appointing authority, borrowing authority, budget authority, concurrent authority, contract authority, economic authority 1), general authority, hiring authority, acceptance theory of authority, carte blanche, authorization, authorize

2)

гос. упр.

орган (государственной) власти, администрация, правительство

administrative authorities — административные органы

public authorities — органы государственного управления

Syn:

See:

central authority, constituted authorities, local authority, regional authority, authority bond, Commodity Exchange Authority, Federal Labor Relations Authority, Financial Services Authority, Intergovernmental Authority on Development, Occupational Pensions Regulatory Authority, Tennessee Valley Authority

Syn:

See:

4)

общ.

авторитет; авторитетность, компетенция

coercive authority — непререкаемый авторитет

5)

эк.

авторитетный [крупный] специалист

a known authority on this subject — признанный авторитет в этой области

He is an authority on parliamentary procedure. — Он авторитет в области парламентских процедур.

6)

,

соц.

(легитимное) господство, (государственная) власть

absolute authority — абсолютная власть

a man set in authority — лицо, облеченное властью

See:

bureaucratic authority, charismatic authority, governmental authority, legitimate authority, legal-rational authority, natural authority, rational-legal authority, traditional authority, Weber, Max, Weber, Max

7)

а)

общ.

авторитетный источник

to know smth. on good authority — знать что-л. из достоверного источника

* * *

1) орган власти; власть;
2) полномочия.

* * *

полномочие; правомочие




Англо-русский экономический словарь.

Полезное

Смотреть что такое «authority» в других словарях:

  • authority — au·thor·i·ty n pl ties 1: an official decision of a court used esp. as a precedent 2 a: a power to act esp. over others that derives from status, position, or office the authority of the president; also: jurisdiction b: the power to act …   Law dictionary

  • Authority — Au*thor i*ty, n.; pl. {Authorities}. [OE. autorite, auctorite, F. autorit[ e], fr. L. auctoritas, fr. auctor. See {Author}, n.] 1. Legal or rightful power; a right to command or to act; power exercised buy a person in virtue of his office or… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • authority — [ə thôr′ə tē, əthär′ə tē] n. pl. authorities [ME autorite < OFr autorité, auctorité < L auctoritas < auctor, AUTHOR] 1. a) the power or right to give commands, enforce obedience, take action, or make final decisions; jurisdiction b) the… …   English World dictionary

  • authority — (n.) early 13c., autorite book or quotation that settles an argument, from O.Fr. auctorité authority, prestige, right, permission, dignity, gravity; the Scriptures (12c.; Mod.Fr. autorité), from L. auctoritatem (nom. auctoritas) invention, advice …   Etymology dictionary

  • authority — [n1] power, control ascendancy, authorization, beef*, charge, clout*, command, credit, domination, dominion, edge, esteem, force, goods*, government, guts*, influence, juice*, jump, jurisdiction, leg up*, license, mastery, might, might and main* …   New thesaurus

  • authority — /auˈtɔriti, ingl. ɔːˈθHrɪtɪ/ [lett. «autorità»] s. f. inv. autorità, organo di vigilanza …   Sinonimi e Contrari. Terza edizione

  • authority — 1 *power, jurisdiction, command, control, dominion, sway Analogous words: ascendancy, *supremacy: government, ruling or rule (see corresponding verbs at GOVERN) 2 *influence, weight, credit, prestige Analogous words: exemplar, ideal, standard, p …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • authority — ► NOUN (pl. authorities) 1) the power or right to give orders and enforce obedience. 2) a person or organization having official power. 3) recognized knowledge or expertise. 4) an authoritative person or book. ORIGIN Old French autorite, from… …   English terms dictionary

  • Authority — In politics, authority (Latin auctoritas , used in Roman law as opposed to potestas and imperium ) is often used interchangeably with the term power . However, their meanings differ: while power refers to the ability to achieve certain ends,… …   Wikipedia

  • authority — A government or public agency created to perform a single function or a restricted group of related activities. Usually, such units are financed from service charges, fees, and tolls, but in some instances they also have taxing powers. An… …   Financial and business terms

  • authority — n. control power 1) to assume; delegate; demonstrate, show; establish; exercise, wield; invoke authority 2) to defy; deny, reject; undermine authority 3) absolute, complete, full, supreme, unquestioned; parental authority 4) authority for; over… …   Combinatory dictionary

Источник

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