authorise
SayAW-thuh-ryzUK/ˈɔːθəɹaɪz/US/ˈɔθəɹaɪz/
Formsauthorises, authorising, authorised
US spellingauthorize · also used in the UK
- 1To give someone the official permission or power they need to do something, or to give formal approval for an action.
The board voted to authorise the chief executive to negotiate the sale.
A senior officer must authorise any search of the property.
UsageAuthorise someone to do something (authorise her to sign), or simply authorise the thing allowed (authorise a payment).
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Origin
English borrowed the word in the Middle Ages from Old French auctorisier, which goes back through Medieval Latin auctorizare to Latin auctor. The h in the spelling copies author, and octroy comes from the same source by a different route.