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Webster 1913 Edition

Commission

Com-mis′sion

,
Noun.
[F., fr. L.
commissio
. See
Commit
.]
1.
The act of committing, doing, or performing; the act of perpetrating.
Every
commission
of sin introduces into the soul a certain degree of hardness.
South.
2.
The act of intrusting; a charge; instructions as to how a trust shall be executed.
3.
The duty or employment intrusted to any person or persons; a trust; a charge.
4.
A formal written warrant or authority, granting certain powers or privileges and authorizing or commanding the performance of certain duties.
Let him see our
commission
.
Shakespeare
5.
A certificate conferring military or naval rank and authority;
as, a colonel’s
commission
.
6.
A company of persons joined in the performance of some duty or the execution of some trust;
as, the interstate commerce
commission
.
A
commission
was at once appointed to examine into the matter.
Prescott.
7.
(Com.)
(a)
The acting under authority of, or on account of, another.
(b)
The thing to be done as agent for another;
as, I have three
commissions
for the city
.
(c)
The brokerage or allowance made to a factor or agent for transacting business for another;
as, a
commission
of ten per cent on sales
. See
Del credere
.
Syn. – Charge; warrant; authority; mandate; office; trust; employment.

Com-mis′sion

,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Commissioned
;
p. pr & vb. n.
Commissioning
.]
1.
To give a commission to; to furnish with a commission; to empower or authorize;
as, to
commission
persons to perform certain acts; to
commission
an officer
.
2.
To send out with a charge or commission.

Webster 1828 Edition

Commission

COMMISSION

, n.
1.
The act of committing, doing, performing, or perpetrating; as the commission of a crime.
2.
The act of committing or sending to; the act of entrusting, as a charge or duty. Hence,
3.
The thing committed, entrusted or delivered; letters patent, or any writing from proper authority, given to a person as his warrant for exercising certain powers, or the performance of any duty, whether civil, ecclesiastical, or military. Hence,
4.
Charge; order; mandate; authority given.
He bore his great commission in his look.
5.
By a metonymy, a number of persons joined in an office or trust.
6.
The state of that which is entrusted, as the great seal was put into commission; or the state of being authorized to act or perform service, as a ship is put into commission.
7.
In commerce, the state of acting under authority in the purchase and sale of goods for another. To trade or do business on commission, is to buy or sell for another by this authority. Hence,
8.
The allowance made to a factor or commission-merchant for transacting business, which is a certain rate per cent. of the value of the goods bought or sold.
Commission of bankruptcy, is a commission issuing from the Chancellor in Great Britain, and in other countries, from some proper authority, appointing and empowering certain persons to examine into the facts relative to an alleged bankruptcy, and to secure the bankrupts lands and effects for the creditors.
Commission of lunacy, is a commission issuing from the court of chancery, to authorize an inquiry whether a person is a lunatic or not.
Commission-officer, in the army or navy, is an officer who has a commission, in distinction from subaltern officers.

Definition 2024

commission

commission

English

Noun

commission ‎(plural commissions)

  1. A sending or mission (to do or accomplish something).
    It was James Bond's commission to defeat the bad guys.
  2. An official charge or authority to do something, often used of military officers.
    David received his commission after graduating from West Point.
    • Shakespeare
      Let him see our commission.
  3. The thing to be done as agent for another.
    I have three commissions for the city.
  4. A body or group of people, officially tasked with carrying out a particular function.
    the European Commission; the Electoral Commission; the Federal Communications Commission
    The company's sexual harassment commission made sure that every employee completed the on-line course.
    • Prescott
      A commission was at once appointed to examine into the matter.
  5. A fee charged by an agent or broker for carrying out a transaction.
    a reseller's commission
    The real-estate broker charged a four percent commission for their knowledge on bidding for commercial properties; for their intellectual perspective on making a formal offer and the strategy to obtain a mutually satisfying deal with the seller in favour of the buyer .
  6. The act of committing (e.g. a crime).
    the commission, preparation or instigation of an act of terrorism
    • South
      Every commission of sin introduces into the soul a certain degree of hardness.

Synonyms

Derived terms

Translations

body of officials

Verb

commission ‎(third-person singular simple present commissions, present participle commissioning, simple past and past participle commissioned)

  1. (transitive) To send or officially charge someone or some group to do something.
    James Bond was commissioned with recovering the secret documents.
  2. (transitive) To place an order for (often piece of art); as, commission a portrait.
    He commissioned a replica of the Mona Lisa for his living room, but the painter gave up after six months.
  3. (transitive) To put into active service; as, commission a ship.
    The aircraft carrier was commissioned in 1944, during WWII.

Translations

French

Pronunciation

Noun

commission f ‎(plural commissions)

  1. commission (fee charged by an agent or broker for carrying out a transaction)

Descendants

Etymology

From Old French commission, from Latin commissio ‎(“sending together; commission”), from prefix com- ‎(“with”), + noun of action missio ‎(“sending”), from perfect passive participle missus ‎(“sent”), from the verb mittō ‎(“to send”), + noun of action suffix -io.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /kəˈmɪʃən/
  • Rhymes: -ɪʃən

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