Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Authority
Au-thor′i-ty
,Noun.
pl.
Authorities
. 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,
Make us pay down for our offense.
Authority
,Make us pay down for our offense.
Shakespeare
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. Shakespeare
Webster 1828 Edition
Authority
AUTHOR'ITY
,Noun.
1.
Legal power, or a right to command or to act; as the authority of a prince over subjects, and of parents over children. Power; rule; sway.2.
The power derived from opinion, respect or esteem; influence of character or office; credit; as the authority of age or example, which is submitted to or respected, in some measure, as a law, or rule of action. That which is claimed in justification or support of opinions and measures.3.
Testimony; witness; or the person who testifies; as, the Gospels or the evangelists are our authorities for the miracles of Christ.4.
Weight of testimony; credibility; as a historian of no authority.5.
Weight of character; respectability; dignity; as a magistrate of great authority in the city.6.
Warrant; order; permission.By what authority dost thou these things. Mat. 21. Acts 9.
7.
Precedents, decisions of a court, official declarations, respectable opinions and says, also the books that contain them, are call authorities, as they influence the opinions of others; and in law, the decisions of supreme courts have a binding force upon inferior courts, and are called authorities.8.
Government; the persons or the body exercising power or command; as the local authorities of the states.In Connecticut, the justices of the peace are denominated the civil authority.