Word family noun authority authorization authoritarian authoritarianism adjective authoritarian authoritative authorized ≠ unauthorized verb authorize adverb authoritatively
From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishauthorityau‧thor‧i‧ty /ɔːˈθɒrəti, ə- $ ɒːˈθɑː-, əˈθɔː-/ ●●● W1 AWL noun (plural authorities) 1 power [uncountable]POWER the power you have because of your official positionthe authority to do something Only the president has the authority to declare war.authority over Several countries claim authority over the islands.in authority I need to speak to someone in authority (=who has a position of power).2 → the authorities3 organizationORGANIZATION [countable] an official organization or a government department that has the power to make decisions, and has particular responsibilities the local authority East Sussex Education Authority the San Diego Water Authority Welsh health authorities face a £13m deficit this year.4 expertKNOW something [countable] someone who knows a lot about a subject and whose knowledge and opinions are greatly respectedauthority on Mr Li is a leading authority on Chinese food.► see thesaurus at expert5 permissionLET/ALLOW [countable, uncountable] official permission to do somethingunder the authority of somebody The attack took place under the authority of the UN Security Council.without somebody’s authority No one may enter without my authority.6 → authority figure7 personal quality [uncountable] a quality in the way you speak or behave which makes people obey you Jack’s air of quiet authority 8 → I have it on good authority9 → speak with authorityCOLLOCATIONSverbshave authorityTeachers should have the authority to discipline their students.He has no authority over us anymore.exercise/exert your authority (also wield authority formal) (=use your authority)In practice it’s very difficult for the president to exercise his authority.He was one of those people who want to wield authority over others.abuse/misuse your authority (=use your authority in a bad way)The mayor was accused of abusing his authority and taking bribes.establish/assert/impose/stamp your authority (=show people that you have authority)The new manager was anxious to establish her authority.Robertson quickly stamped his authority on the team.The State Department pressed him to take bolder steps to assert his authority.lose your authorityHe’s worried that he is losing his authority over the party.undermine/weaken somebody’s authority (=make someone’s authority weaker)I wasn’t trying to undermine your authority.exceed/overstep your authority (=do more than you have the power or right to do)A higher court decided that the judge had exceeded his authority.challenge somebody’s authority (=try to take the power away from someone)There had been no-one to really challenge his authority.adjectivesfull/complete/total authorityThe manager has full authority to make decisions.absolute authority (=complete authority over everyone – used especially about the leader of a country)In those days, the emperor had absolute authority.parental authorityThe younger children are more likely to resist parental authority.governmental authorityTheir failure undermined governmental authority.presidential authorityA number of constitutional amendments have increased presidential authority.legal authorityUS agents have legal authority to bring criminals back from overseas.phrasesbe in a position of authorityI’ve never been in a position of authority before.have an air of authority approving (=look like you have authority, in a way that makes people obey you)The commander had an unmistakeable air of authority.a challenge to somebody’s authorityThe leadership saw the demonstrations as a challenge to their authority. an authority figure (=someone, such as a parent or teacher, who has the power to tell young people what they can do)The teacher is an authority figure, like the parent. Examples from the Corpus
authority• Reischauer became an authority on Japanese-American relations.• The evacuation of many schools gave military and civil authorities the opportunity to requisition the buildings for their own use.• The number of complaints received by the Police Complaints Authority has risen sharply in recent years.• Although the new managers had focused on the privileges that came with formal authority, the superiors emphasized the duties-the accountability.• The airline has been given authority to fly to several U.S. destinations.• Contact your local health authority for details of the scheme in your area.• The victims were more than strangers to the killers, authorities say.• She was widely regarded as the country's leading authority on plant diseases.• Local authorities are legally obliged to record unmet needs and disclose details of these.• Responsibility and accountability are coupled with managerial authority.• In the British system, the mayor has no authority over the local police.• But, in addition, it has also meant some surrender of authority to Washington.• Al-Azhar is Egypt's highest religious authority.• No one dared to question the principal's authority.• Because of the emergency, the authority would be granted and Agriculture would have two hundred new slots.• The King had the authority to raise taxes without the permission of parliament.• Coach Harris has the authority to hire and fire players.• the Regional Water Authoritythe authority to do something• On Monday, Tyler generously said that he wanted local authorities to waive criminal charges against Barkley.• She took Oxfordshire Health Authority to court, claiming excessive doses of radiation had crippled her.• These empowered local authorities to clear and reconstruct unhealthy areas, with powers to purchase compulsorily and to limit compensation.• We will encourage local authorities to sell their airports.• Nor did they have the authority to carry out decisions.• You just have to have the authority to pay creditors.• All Morales can do is suggest, as he has no authority to order the funds to sell.• Women owe it to the public health authorities to eat up their pills and stay healthy.health authorities• Cooperation between general practitioners and district health authorities requires mutual accountability.• Following the restructuring of the National Health Service in 1982, the County area was served by three district health authorities.• A consultant paediatrician yesterday joined Labour candidate Alan Milburn to oppose a merger between two district health authorities.• Barts holds contracts from more health authorities than any other: success in the internal market if ever I heard of it.• The implementation of that policy will now be the responsibility of the regional health authorities.• Regional health authorities will from time to time produce mortality data at ward level.• In 18 months, 284 Labour councillors were appointed to health authorities, compared with 36 Liberal Democrats and 23 Tories.• Capital charges will therefore impact on the distribution of revenue funds to health authorities.leading authority• Mr Righton is regarded as a leading authority on the care of children.• A leading authority on menswear, he is still, at 82, a keen tennis player.• Limited Intervention A number of leading authorities support only limited review.• He had also made himself the leading authority on fossil fish, taking over Cuvier's work.• He reads and digests material on a vast range of topics and picks the brains of most of the leading authorities.• Mr Okuno, a retired schoolteacher, was the leading authority in Shingu on Hsu Fu the navigator.under the authority of somebody• Tutors are appointed under the authority of the Council of the Institute of Actuaries 2.• Many people regard themselves as under the authority of the state.• The judgement of the dead gradually came under the authority of Osiris, reaching its developed form by the New Kingdom.• People lived in small communities spread throughout the countryside, under the authority of feudal lords whose land they worked as tenants.• It comprises acts of Parliament and subordinate legislation made under the authority of the parent act.• They are then specified in regulations promulgated under the authority of the law.• It is also part of the family of newspapers published under the authority of the Guangdong Communist party.• Both mills were under the authority of naval officers on leave.From Longman Business Dictionaryauthorityau‧thor‧i‧ty /ɔːˈθɒrəti, ə-əˈθɑː-, əˈθɔː-/ noun (plural authorities)1[countable]LAWORGANIZATIONS an official organization which controls a particular activity and checks that the rules and laws relating to it are being obeyedIllinois’ metropolitan rail authoritythe Financial Services Authority → see also Advertising Standards Authority, Atomic Energy Authority, Securities and Futures Authority2the authorities [plural] the organizations that are in charge of a particular country or area or a particular activityThe weak currency could force the authorities to raise interest rates.3[uncountable] the power that a person or organization has because of their official or legal positionthe authority to do somethingI wouldn’t have taken the job unless I had the authority to run the division.The bankruptcy court lacked the authority to rule on this subject.4authority to negotiate/purchaseBANKING the power given by an importer to a bank in the exporter’s country to allow the exporter to arrange a BILL OF EXCHANGE5authority to payBANKING the power given by an importer to a bank in the exporter’s country to pay a BILL OF EXCHANGEOrigin authority (1200-1300) Old French auctorité, from Latin auctoritas “opinion, decision, power”, from auctor; → AUTHOR1 