authorize

• POS: Verb (transitive)
• HYPHEN: au=thor=ize

CIDE DICTIONARY

authorize, v. t. [OE. autorize, F. autoriser, fr. LL. auctorizare, authorisare. See Author.].

•  To clothe with authority, warrant, or legal power; to give a right to act; to empower; as, to authorize commissioners to settle a boundary.  [1913 Webster]
•  To make legal; to give legal sanction to; to legalize; as, to authorize a marriage.  [1913 Webster]
•  To establish by authority, as by usage or public opinion; to sanction; as, idioms authorized by usage.  [1913 Webster]
•  To sanction or confirm by the authority of some one; to warrant; as, to authorize a report.  [1913 Webster]

  "A woman's story at a winter's fire,
  Authorized by her grandam."  [1913 Webster]
•  To justify; to furnish a ground for.  Locke.  [1913 Webster]

  "Authorizing himself, for the most part, upon other histories."  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

authorize, v.tr. (also -ise)
1 sanction.
2 (foll. by to +infin.) a give authority. b commission (a person or body) (authorized to trade).

Idiom

Authorized Version an English translation of the Bible made in 1611 and traditionally used in Anglican worship.

Derivative

authorization n.

Etymology

ME f. OF autoriser f. med.L auctorizare f. auctor: see AUTHOR

THESAURUS

authorize

OK, accept, accredit, affirm, allow, amen, appoint, approve, arm, assign, authenticate, autograph, certificate, certify, charge, charter, clothe, clothe with power, commission, commit, confirm, consent to, consign, constitute, cosign, countenance, countersign, declare lawful, decree, delegate, demand, depute, deputize, detach, detail, devolute, devolve, devolve upon, dictate, empower, enable, enact, endorse, endow, endue, enfranchise, entitle, entrust, establish, formulate, franchise, give in charge, give leave, give official sanction, give permission, give power, give the go-ahead, give the imprimatur, give thumbs up, impose, initial, invest, lay down, legalize, legislate, legitimate, legitimatize, legitimize, license, make a regulation, make legal, make obligatory, mission, notarize, okay, ordain, pass, pass on, pass upon, patent, permit, post, prescribe, privilege, put in force, ratify, regulate, require, rubber stamp, sanction, say amen to, seal, second, send out, set, sign, sign and seal, subscribe to, support, swear and affirm, swear to, transfer, undersign, underwrite, validate, visa, vise, warrant

ROGET THESAURUS

authorize

Authority

VB authorize, warrant, dictate, be at the head of, hold office, be in office, fill an office, hold master, occupy master, a post master, be master, have the upper hand, get the upper hand, have the whip, get the whip, gain a hold upon, preponderate, dominate, rule the roost, boss, override, overrule, overawe, lord it over, hold in hand, keep under, make a puppet of, lead by the nose, turn round one's little finger, bend to one's will, hold one's own, wear the breeches, have the ball at one's feet, have it all one's own way, have the game in one's own hand, have on the hip, have under one's thumb, be master of the situation, take the lead, play first fiddle, set the fashion, give the law to, carry with a high hand, lay down the law, ride in the whirlwind and direct the storm, rule with a rod of iron.

Commission

VB commission, delegate, depute, consign, assign, charge, intrust, entrust, commit, commit to the hands of, authorize, put in commission, accredit, engage, hire, bespeak, appoint, name, nominate, return, ordain, install, induct, inaugurate, swear in, invest, crown, enroll, enlist, give power of attorney to, employ, empower, set over, place over, send out, be commissioned, be accredited, represent, stand for, stand in the stead of, stand in the place of, stand in the shoes of.

Permission

VB permit, give permission, give power, let, allow, admit, suffer, bear with, tolerate, recognize, concede, accord, vouchsafe, favor, humor, gratify, indulge, stretch a point, wink at, connive at, shut one's eyes to, grant, empower, charter, enfranchise, privilege, confer a privilege, license, authorize, warrant, sanction, intrust, give carte blanche, give the reins to, give scope to, leave alone, leave it to one, leave the door open, open the door to, open the flood gates, give a loose to, let off, absolve, release, exonerate, dispense with, ask permission, beg permission, request permission, ask leave, beg leave, request leave.

Dueness

VB be due, to, be the due, of, have right to, have title to, have claim to, be entitled to, have a claim upon, belong to, deserve, merit, be worthy of, richly deserve, demand, claim, call upon for, come upon for, appeal to for, revendicate, reclaim, exact, insist on, insist upon, challenge, take one's stand, make a point of, require, lay claim to, assert, assume, arrogate, make good, substantiate, vindicate a claim, vindicate a right, fit for, qualify for, make out a case, give a right, confer a right, entitle, authorize, sanctify, legalize, ordain, prescribe, allot, give every one his due, pay one's dues, have one's due, have one's rights, use a right, assert, enforce, put in force, lay under contribution.