n.
1 power, jurisdiction, dominion, right, control, prerogative, authorization; hegemony:
Who gave you the authority to tell me what to do? By the authority vested in me, I now pronounce you man and wife.
2 word, testimony, evidence, Colloq say-so:
Do not accept anything solely on the authority of the Herald.
3 expert, specialist, scholar, sage, judge, arbiter:
Gardner is an authority on Scottish history.
4 authorities. government, establishment, officials, officialdom, powers that be, police:
The authorities lowered the speed limit.
noun
1 sth with the power to give orders
ADJ.
district, local, regional | government, public | education, health, military, planning, tax
The government is urging education authorities to spend less money.
| competent, lawful, relevant, statutory
AUTHORITY + VERB
agree sth, claim sth, decide sth, deny sth, promise sth
The local health authority denied negligence.
| allow (sb) sth, give (sb) sth, grant (sb) sth
The local authority has not granted planning permission.
2 power/right to give orders
ADJ.
absolute, complete, full, supreme | governmental, judicial, legal, ministerial, parental, presidential
VERB + AUTHORITY
have
Parents have the authority to discipline their children.
| assume
He assumed full authority as tsar in 1689.
| give sb | assert, demonstrate, establish, exercise, exert, show, use, wield
The new manager obviously felt the need to demonstrate her authority.
| delegate | give up, relinquish | abuse | challenge, defy, deny, rebel against, reject, undermine
She had challenged my authority once too often.
| usurp
AUTHORITY + NOUN
figure
adult authority figures such as parents and teachers
PREP.
in ~
I need to talk to someone in authority.
| under the ~ of
This can only be done under the authority of the government minister.
| without ~
He took the car without authority.
| ~ over
Central government has extensive authority over teachers.
PHRASES
an air of authority
He bore an air of authority.
| position of authority
She holds a position of authority in the local church.
3 person with special knowledge
ADJ.
leading, respected, world | unimpeachable, unquestioned
VERB + AUTHORITY
cite, invoke
Copernicus justified his innovation by citing respected authorities.
PREP.
~ on
She's a leading authority on genetics.
Random quote: Short words are best and the old words when short are best of all.: Winston Churchill
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