Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Authorize
Au′thor-ize
,Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Authorized
; p. pr. & vb. n.
Authorizing
.] 1.
To clothe with authority, warrant, or legal power; to give a right to act; to empower;
as, to
. authorize
commissioners to settle a boundary2.
To make legal; to give legal sanction to; to legalize;
as, to
. authorize
a marriage3.
To establish by authority, as by usage or public opinion; to sanction;
as, idioms
. authorized
by usage4.
To sanction or confirm by the authority of some one; to warrant;
as, to
. authorize
a reportA woman’s story at a winter's fire,
Authorized
by her grandam. Shakespeare
5.
To justify; to furnish a ground for.
Locke.
To authorize one's self
, to rely for authority.
[Obs.]
Authorizing himself
, for the most part, upon other histories. Sir P. Sidney.
Webster 1828 Edition
Authorize
AU'THORIZE
, v.t.1.
To give authority, warrant or legal power to; to give a right to act; to empower; as, to authorize commissioners to settle the boundary of the state.2.
To make legal; as, to authorize a marriage.3.
To establish by authority, as by usage, or public opinion; as an authorized idiom of language.4.
To give authority, credit or reputation to; as to authorize a report, or opinion.5.
To justify; to support as right. Suppress desires which reason does not authorize.