Forms: 3–5 autorite, 4–6 autoryte, 5–6 auctorite, -itee, 5 awtoryte, 5–6 auctoryte, 5–7 autoritie, auctoritie, -ity, 6 auctorytye, -ety, awtoritee, aucthoritie, -ytye, -ity, authorite, 6–7 authoritie, 6–8 autority, 7 aucthorytie, 5– authority. [a. F. autorité, early ad. L. auctōritas, -tātem, f. auctor: see AUTHOR and -ITY. The Fr. was also spelt auctorité from 12th to 16th c., and authorité in 16th, whence the successive Eng. forms.]
I. Power to enforce obedience.
1. Power or right to enforce obedience; moral or legal supremacy; the right to command, or give an ultimate decision.
1393. Gower, Conf., I. 257. The pope … Of his papall auctorite Hath made and yove the decre.
1480. Caxton, Chron. Eng., III. (1520), 20/1. They chose another man the whiche sholde have more auctoryte … and they called hym dictator.
1590. Harl. Misc. (Malh.), II. 176. He hath aucthoritie over all kinges and princes.
1598. Barret, Theor. Warres, IV. iv. 113. Their Colours … represent the authoritie Royall.
1603. Shaks., Meas. for M., II. ii. 118. Proud man, Drest in a little briefe authoritie,… Plaies such phantastique tricks before high heauen, As makes the Angels weepe.
1665. Boyle, Occas. Refl., IV. xi. (1675), 233. I allow lawful Authority a Jurisdiction over my Actions, that I deny it over my Opinions.
a. 1680. Butler, Rem. (1759), I. 251. Authority is a Disease and Cure, Which Men can neither want, nor well endure.
1872. Ruskin, Eagle’s Nest, § 94. If ever you find yourselves set in positions of authority.
b. In authority: in a position of power; in possession of power over others.
c. 1460. Fortescue, Abs. & Lim. Mon. (1714), 108. Men that were in grete Auctorite.
1551–6. Robinson, trans. More’s Utop., 15. Nowe placed in aucthorytye and called to honoure.
1611. Bible, Prov. xxix. 2. When the righteous are in authoritie, the people rejoyce.
1722. Sewel, trans. Hist. Quakers (1795), I. Pref. 12. Speaking to persons in authority.
1878. J. P. Hopps, Jesus, x. 36. The people in authority … would try to stop him.
2. Derived or delegated power; conferred right or title; authorization.
(The relation to sense 1 is seen in ‘by the (king’s) authority, by authority of the King.’)
c. 1375. Wyclif, Serm., Sel. Wks. 1869, I. 56. Reprovede him sharpli bi autorite of God.
c. 1400. Apol. Loll., 8. If he pronounce wiþout autorite … aȝennis þe lordis wille.
1483. Rich. III., in Ellis, Orig. Lett., II. 49, I. 153. Upon auctorite or commission yeven unto him.
1535. Coverdale, Mark xi. 28. By what auctorite dost thou these things, and who gaue the this auctorite.
1790. Burke, Fr. Rev., 6. To open a formal public correspondence … without the express authority of the government under which I live.
1831. Carlyle, Sart. Res., III. vii. He carries in him an authority from God.
b. with inf. Conferred right to do something.
1535. Coverdale, Ezra vii. 24. Ye shall haue no auctorite to requyre taxinge & custome.
1559. Bp. Scot, in Strype, Ann. Ref., I. App. vii. 13. By commission from him, prestes hathe aucthorytie to forgyve sin.
1719. Young, Revenge, IV. i. Am I not your wife? Have I not just authority to know That heart?
1855. Prescott, Philip II., Pref. 8. I also obtained the authority of Prince Metternich to inspect the Archives of the Empire.
1858. Ld. St. Leonards, Handy-bk. Prop. Law, IV. 20. The authority to sell does not include a power to receive the purchase-money.
3. Those in authority; the body or persons exercising power or command. (Formerly in sing. = Government; now usually abstract in sing., concrete in pl.; a Local Sanitary Authority or similar body is also spoken of as ‘the authority.’)
1611. Bible, 1 Pet. iii. 22. Angels, and authorities, and powers being made subiect vnto him.
1652. Needham, trans. Selden’s Mare Cl., Ep. Ded. 1. The Supreme Autoritie of the Nation, the Parlament of the Common-wealth of England.
1682. Luttrell, Brief Rel., I. 233. Authority has thought fitt … to prosecute the offenders for the same.
1760. T. Hutchinson, Hist. Coll. Mass. Bay, iii. (1765), 395. The authority treated him kindly, and sent him home.
1833. I. Taylor, Fanat., x. 456. The conduct of the authorities.
1859. Mill, Liberty, 172. It is a proper office of public authority to guard against accidents.
1865. Livingstone, Zambesi, xx. 403. The Mozambique authorities.
1880. Sat. Rev., 25 Dec., 809. The actual authorities of the Post Office.
II. Power to influence action, opinion, belief.
4. Power to influence the conduct and actions of others; personal or practical influence.
c. 1387. Chaucer, Mother of God, 92. Syn thou art of swich auctoritee Lady pitious.
c. 1449. Pecock, Repr., V. ix. 531. Hiȝe in wisdom and in auctorite and in fame.
1542. Brinklow, Complaynt, i. (1874), 7. Them which beare any auctoryte … in the cowncel or Parlament.
1673. Lady’s Call., I. i. § 20. Such an autority there is in vertue, that where ’tis eminent, ’tis apt to controle all loose desires.
1705. Addison, Italy, Ded. With your Lordship’s Interest and Authority in England.
1792. Anecd. W. Pitt, III. xliv. 202. It is your duty, my Lords, as the grand hereditary council of the nation to feel your own weight and authority.
1818–60. Whately, Commonpl. Bk. (1864), 125. The person, body, or book, in favour of whose decisions there is a certain presumption, is said to have, so far, authority.
5. Power over, or title to influence, the opinions of others; authoritative opinion; weight of judgment or opinion, intellectual influence.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Sqr.’s. T., 474. Preued … As wel by werk as by Auctoritee.
1481. Caxton, Myrr., III. xii. 160. Good clerkes … of grete auctoryte.
a. 1677. Barrow, Serm. (1683), II. viii. 119. The auctority of the ancients doth more prevail with me.
1724. A. Collins, Gr. Chr. Relig., Pref. 18. Is there anything that … stifles the light of truth, but autority?
1794. Sullivan, View Nat., II. 231. The proper way of reasoning from authority, that what seems true to some wise men, may upon that account be esteemed somewhat probable.
1865. Mill, Liberty, ii. 21/2. He is either led by authority, or adopts … the side to which he feels most inclination.
6. Power to inspire belief, title to be believed; authoritative statement; weight of testimony. Sometimes weakened to: Authorship, testimony.
1303. R. Brunne, Handl. Synne, 1239. Seynt Poule þat sagh Goddys pryvyte, He seyþ yn hys autoryte A feyre wurd vs to save.
1494. Fabyan, I. i. 8. Therof is founde lytell auctoryte.
1586. Thynne, in Animadv., Introd. 73. Untill I may see good authoritie to disproove it.
1710. Prideaux, Orig. Tithes, v. 253. I deny not Ingulph’s autority to be good, but for his Copy there is his autority only.
1875. Scrivener, Lect. Grk. Test., 12. I have been recently informed on excellent authority.
Mod. Do not accept news on the authority of the evening papers.
7. The quotation or book acknowledged, or alleged, to settle a question of opinion or give conclusive testimony.
a. 1230. Ancr. R., 78. Þen ilke autorite, þet … schal beon vre strencðe … aȝein þes deofles turnes.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Freres Prol., 12. Lete auctorités, in Goddes name, To preching and to scoles of clergie.
a. 1535. More, Confut. Barnes, VIII. Wks. 770/2. Hys fyrst authorite be these words of saynte Austyne in hys fyftieth sermon.
1608. Shaks., Per., III. ii. 33. By turning o’er authorities.
1706. Pope, Lett., Wks. 1736, V. 55. To corroborate these observations by some great authorities … in Tully and Quintilian.
1876. Green, Short Hist., Pref. 6. Giving in detail the authorities for every statement.
8. a. The person whose opinion or testimony is accepted; the author of an accepted statement. b. One whose opinion on or upon a subject is entitled to be accepted; an expert in any question.
1665. Glanvill, Sceps. Sci., 77. To confront such celebrated Authorities.
1855. Prescott, Philip II., I. II. vi. 210. Historians in a season of faction are not the best authorities.
1860. R. Williams, Ess. & Rev., 59. Egyptian authorities continue the reign of Menephthah later.
1867. A. J. Ellis, E. E. Pronunc., I. iii. 65. Wallis is the great authority for the fully developed pronunciation of the XVIIth century.
1871. Blackie, Four Phases, i. 1. A great utilitarian authority.
Mod. Who, may I ask, is your authority for the statement? A. B. He is no authority!
9. Comb., as authority-maker.
1678. Cudworth, Intell. Syst., I. v. 893. These justice-makers and authority-makers pretend to derive their factitious justice from Pacts and Covenants.
