Authorize

v. Forms: 4 autorize, -yse, 4–5 -ise, 4–6 auctorize, -yse, -ise, 6 auctorish(e, -eise, authoriss, -ish, aucthorishe, 7 -ize, -ise, 6– authorise, -ize. [a. F. autorise-r, in 14–16th c. commonly auctoriser, also in 15–16th c. authoriser, ad. med.L. auctōrīzāre, f. auctor author: see -IZE. The phonetic history follows that of AUTHOR, auctorize being the usual form down to c. 1575. In 16th c. accented aucto·rise, which led to the form aucto·rish after nourish, perish: see -ISH².]

  I.  To authorize a thing.

  † 1.  To set up as authoritative; to acknowledge as possessing final decisiveness. Obs.

1401.  Pol. Poems (1859), II. 80. Thou autorisest ȝour pride aȝenes his holi werkes.

1579.  Tomson, Calvin’s Serm. Tim., 509/2. To the end the word of God may be authorized, and men know that we must be heard.

1620.  Shelton, Quix., III. xvii. 116. Let the Courtier … authorize his Prince’s Court with Liveries.

  † 2.  To give legal force to; to make legally valid.

1464.  Edw. IV., in Paston Lett., 493, II. 165. Inacted and auctorised in the parlement next holden.

1567.  Drant, Horace Epist., II. i. Gj. Tables … Deuysed and auctorished by well knowne Romanes ten.

1644.  Vind. Treat. Monarchy, iv. 27. Being authoritative, they authorize the Instrument, and give him an unresistance.

1692.  Dryden, St. Euremont’s Ess., 87. New Titles to Authorize a new Power.

  3.  To give formal approval to; to sanction, approve, countenance.

c. 1383.  Wyclif, Sel. Wks. (1871), III. 326. Crist and alle his seyntis … autoriseden it. Ibid., De Eccl., viii. ibid. 357. Whanne þe pope auansiþ a shrewe, he autorisiþ his shrewidnesse.

1567.  Drant, Horace’s Arte Poet., A iij. Who hath to iudge, autorish, reule, All maner speache at will.

c. 1600.  Shaks., Sonn., xxxv. Authorizing thy trespas with compare.

1749.  Chesterf., Lett., 211, II. 305. The Season in which Custom seems … to authorise civil and harmless Lies under the name of compliments.

1865.  Mill, Liberty, 15. The gentlest and most amiable of philosophers … authorised the persecution of Christianity.

  b.  Of things: To afford just ground for, justify.

1603.  Florio, Montaigne (1634), 525. The issue doth often aucthorize a simple conduct.

1656.  Cowley, Davideis, IV. Wks. 1710, II. 460. If Human Strength might authorize a Boast.

1660.  Dryden, Astræa Redux, 178. Till some safe crisis authorise their skill.

1748.  Anson, Voy., Introd. These reasons alone would authorize the insertion of those papers.

1831.  Scott, Cast. Dang., i. More … than the coldness of the weather seemed to authorise.

  † 4.  To vouch for the truth or reality of; to confirm by one’s authority. Obs.

1393.  Gower, Conf., III. 167. This I finde eke of recorde, Which the cronique hath auctorized.

1489.  Caxton, Faytes of A., III. i. 169. The more that a werke is wytnessed … the more it is auctorysed and more auctentyke.

1605.  Shaks., Macb., III. iv. 66. A womans story, at a Winters fire, Authoriz’d by her Grandam.

1646.  Sir T. Browne, Pseud. Ep., 75. Multiplying obscurities in nature, and authorising hidden qualities that are false.

  II.  To authorize a person.

  5.  To endow with authority, place in authority; to commission.

1494.  Fabyan, V. xcvii. 71. After that he of this Realme was auctorysyd for kynge.

1548.  Udall, etc., Erasm. Par. Matt. ii. 17. Did manyfestly auctoryse his sonne.

1676.  Bullokar, Authorize, to put in authority, or give power unto.

1770.  Junius Lett., xli. 216. Will you … tell the world by what law … you were authorized? [See AUTHORIZED.]

  † b.  To hold as an authority. Obs. rare.

1535.  Stewart, Cron. Scot., II. 141. He had sic credens of the king, And wes with him auctoreist than so hie.

  † c.  To accredit. Obs. rare.

1579.  Fulke, Confut. Sanders, 536. Neither is the credite of such late writers—sufficient to authorise them for such.

  † d.  To patronize, countenance. Obs. rare.

1713.  Guardian, No. 10, ¶ 3. For this reason I shall authorise and support the gentleman.

  † 6.  refl. a. To claim authority for oneself; to plume oneself. b. To found one’s authority upon.

1581.  Sidney, Def. Poesie (Arb.), 31. The Historian … loden with old Mouse-eaten records, authorising himselfe (for the most part) vpon other histories. Ibid. (1580), Arcadia (1590), II. 189 (J.). Making herself an impudent suter, authorizing her selfe very much with making vs see that all fauor & power in that realm, so depended vpon her, [etc.].

  7.  To give legal or formal warrant to (a person) to do something; to empower, permit authoritatively.

1571.  Wills & Invent. N. C. (1835), 353. I appoint and aucthorishe hym to call for and receyue … all suche debts.

1571.  Ld. Burleigh, in Ellis, Orig. Lett., I. 200, II. 261. We will, & by warrant herof authoriss you to procede.

1660.  R. Coke, Power & Subj., 249. To authorize any forreigne Prince to invade or annoy him or his Countries.

1796.  Morse, Amer. Geog., I. 148. His Majesty may authorize the governor to fix the time and place.

1855.  Macaulay, Hist. Eng., IV. 551. A royal message authorising the Commons to elect another Speaker.

  b.  Of things: To give satisfactory ground to.

1794.  Sullivan, View Nat., I. Nothing which can authorise us to suppose it formed in the sea.

1843.  Mill, Logic, III. xxi. § 3. Past experience of mortality authorizes us to infer both.