authority

noun | au·thor·i·ty
  1. : an official decision of a court used especially as a precedent

  1. a : a power to act especially over others that derives from status, position, or office the authority of the president; also : jurisdiction : jurisdiction

    b : a government agency or public office responsible for an area of regulation should apply for a permit to the permitting authority

    c : power and capacity to act granted by someone in a position of control; specifically : the power to act granted by a principal to his or her agent : the power to act granted by a principal to his or her agent

    — actual authority
    : the authority that a principal in reality has granted to an agent

    — actual express authority
    : the actual authority of an agent specifically stated or written by the principal

    — actual implied authority
    : the actual authority of an agent that the principal has not specified but has purposely or through negligence allowed the agent to believe has been granted

    — apparent authority
    : the authority that a principal purposely or through negligence allows a third party to believe that the principal's agent has although such authority has not in reality been granted — called also authority by estoppel, ostensible authority Note: A principal is bound by the acts of an agent acting with apparent authority.

    — express authority
    : authority that is explicitly granted to an agent by a principal — called also expressed authority, stipulated authority

    — implied authority
    : the authority to perform acts that are customary, necessary, and understood by an agent as authorized in performing acts for which the principal has given express authority

    — ostensible authority
    : apparent authority in this entry

    — stipulated authority
    : express authority in this entry

  1. : a person in a position of power and especially a public office —usually used in pl. the local authorities

  1. a : a government agency or corporation that administers a revenue-producing public enterprise the transit authority

    b : a government agency or public office responsible for an area of regulation should apply for a permit to the permitting authority