authority
- 01 B1 Intermediate
the power or right to give orders, make decisions, and enforce rules.
the institutional or legal power to command, make decisions, or enforce obedience. Often uncountable in this sense.
Simple“The captain has the authority to decide when the ship leaves the port.”
In context“The manager exercised her authority by dismissing the staff members who consistently failed to meet safety standards.”
UsageOften used with the preposition 'over' or 'to'.
- 02 B1 Intermediate
the people or organisations that are in charge of a particular country or area.
the collective body of persons or the administrative department in which power is vested. Usually plural when referring to the police or government officials.
Simple“You should report the stolen car to the local authorities immediately.”
In context“The health authorities issued a warning after several cases of food poisoning were linked to the local market.”
PitfallThe authority are investigating the crime. The authorities are investigating the crime.When referring to the police or government bodies as a group, use the plural form 'authorities'.
Synonyms - 03 B2 Upper Intermediate
a person who has a lot of knowledge about a specific subject.
a person or text regarded as a definitive and reliable source of information or expertise on a subject.
Simple“She is a leading authority on ancient Greek history and has written many books.”
In context“The professor is widely considered the preeminent authority on climate change patterns in the Arctic region.”
UsageCommonly followed by the preposition 'on'.
SynonymsAntonymsamateurlayman - 04 C1 Advanced
official permission to do something.
formal or legal authorisation to act in a specific capacity or to perform a particular task.
Simple“He acted without authority when he signed the contract for the company.”
In context“The agent lacked the legal authority to sell the property without the owner's written consent.”
UsageOften used in the phrase 'under the authority of'.
SynonymsAntonyms - 05 B2 Upper Intermediate
a government organisation that manages a public service, like transport or water.
a public administrative body or government-owned agency responsible for a specific public service or infrastructure.
Simple“The local housing authority is building new apartments for families in the city.”
In context“The transit authority announced a significant increase in bus fares to cover the rising costs of fuel and maintenance.”
Synonyms
Usage planning authority
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₂weg- Proto-Indo-European *h₂ewg-der. Proto-Italic *augeō Latin augeō Proto-Indo-European *-tōr Proto-Italic *-tōr Latin -tor Latin auctor Proto-Indo-European *-teh₂ Proto-Indo-European *-ts Proto-Indo-European *-teh₂ts Proto-Italic *-tāts Latin -tās Latin auctōritāsbor. Old French autoritébor. Middle English auctorite English authority From Middle English auctorite, autorite (“authority, book or quotation that settles an argument”), from Old French auctorité, from Latin stem of auctōritās (“invention, advice, opinion, influence, command”), from auctor (“master, leader, author”). For the presence of the h, compare the etymology of author.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.