Library / English Dictionary

AUTHORISE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Grant authorization or clearance for

Example:

The rock star never authorized this slanderous biography

Synonyms:

authorise; authorize; clear; pass

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Hypernyms (to "authorise" is one way to...):

allow; countenance; let; permit (consent to, give permission)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "authorise"):

approbate (approve or sanction officially)

certificate (authorize by certificate)

approve; O.K.; okay; sanction (give sanction to)

declare (authorize payments of)

certify; licence; license (authorize officially)

commission (charge with a task)

formalise; formalize; validate (declare or make legally valid)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody to INFINITIVE

Derivation:

authorisation (the act of conferring legality or sanction or formal warrant)

authorisation (official permission or approval)

authoriser (an authority who authorizes (people or actions))

Sense 2

Meaning:

Give or delegate power or authority to

Example:

She authorized her assistant to sign the papers

Synonyms:

authorise; authorize; empower

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Hypernyms (to "authorise" is one way to...):

appoint; charge (assign a duty, responsibility or obligation to)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "authorise"):

entitle (give the right to)

sanction (give authority or permission to)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s somebody

Credits

 Context examples: 

Sir Thomas wrote of it with as much decision as experience and anxiety could authorise.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)

But if otherwise—if regard springing from such sources is unreasonable or unnatural, in comparison of what is so often described as arising on a first interview with its object, and even before two words have been exchanged, nothing can be said in her defence, except that she had given somewhat of a trial to the latter method in her partiality for Wickham, and that its ill success might, perhaps, authorise her to seek the other less interesting mode of attachment.

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)

But at last a soft, genial morning appeared; such as might tempt the daughter's wishes and the mother's confidence; and Marianne, leaning on Elinor's arm, was authorised to walk as long as she could without fatigue, in the lane before the house.

(Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen)

I should wish to see them very good friends, and would, on no account, authorise in my girls the smallest degree of arrogance towards their relation; but still they cannot be equals.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)

Elizabeth was sitting with her mother and sisters, reflecting on what she had heard, and doubting whether she was authorised to mention it, when Sir William Lucas himself appeared, sent by his daughter, to announce her engagement to the family.

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)

He felt that he ought not to have allowed the marriage; that his daughter's sentiments had been sufficiently known to him to render him culpable in authorising it; that in so doing he had sacrificed the right to the expedient, and been governed by motives of selfishness and worldly wisdom.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)

Perhaps you are not so much aware as I am of the mischief that may, of the unpleasantness that must arise from a young man's being received in this manner: domesticated among us; authorised to come at all hours, and placed suddenly on a footing which must do away all restraints.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)

Mrs. Norris and her nieces were all well pleased with its revival, and an early day was named and agreed to, provided Mr. Crawford should be disengaged: the young ladies did not forget that stipulation, and though Mrs. Norris would willingly have answered for his being so, they would neither authorise the liberty nor run the risk; and at last, on a hint from Miss Bertram, Mr. Rushworth discovered that the properest thing to be done was for him to walk down to the Parsonage directly, and call on Mr. Crawford, and inquire whether Wednesday would suit him or not.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)

The first, at least, of these favours Fanny would rather not have been asked; but it was impossible for her to refuse the correspondence; it was impossible for her even not to accede to it more readily than her own judgment authorised.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)

Grant had brought on apoplexy and death, by three great institutionary dinners in one week, they still lived together; for Mary, though perfectly resolved against ever attaching herself to a younger brother again, was long in finding among the dashing representatives, or idle heir-apparents, who were at the command of her beauty, and her £20,000, any one who could satisfy the better taste she had acquired at Mansfield, whose character and manners could authorise a hope of the domestic happiness she had there learned to estimate, or put Edmund Bertram sufficiently out of her head.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)