- authority
- noun1 (often authorities) people with responsibility for making decisionsADJECTIVE▪ central, district, federal, local, municipal, regional▪ government, public▪ civil, civilian, military, religious, secular▪ education, health, housing, immigration, law enforcement, planning (BrE), regulatory, tax▪
The government is urging education authorities to spend less money.
▪the right of law enforcement authorities to take and retain photographs
▪ appropriate, competent, proper, relevant, statutory▪He had permission from the proper authorities.
VERB + AUTHORITY▪ alert, contact, inform, notify▪The system notifies the authorities when a security breach occurs.
AUTHORITY + VERB▪ agree sth, claim sth, decide sth, deny sth, promise sth, recommend sth▪The health authority denied negligence.
▪ allow (sb) sth, approve sth, give (sb) sth, grant (sb) sth▪The local authority has not granted planning permission.
▪ refuse (sb) sth▪Immigration authorities refused him entry to the country.
▪ arrest sb, detain sb, seize sb/sth▪German authorities arrested the author of the computer virus.
2 power/right to give ordersADJECTIVE▪ absolute, complete, full▪ highest, supreme, ultimate▪The commander-in-chief exercises supreme authority within his zone.
▪ constitutional, governmental, judicial, legal, political, presidential, regulatory▪ divine, religious▪These men denied the divine authority of the Church.
▪ parental▪ moral▪ lawful, legitimate▪He acted without any legitimate authority.
VERB + AUTHORITY▪ have, possess▪Parents have the authority to discipline their children.
▪ assume▪He assumed full authority as tsar in 1689.
▪ give sb, grant sb▪ assert, demonstrate, establish, exercise, exert, show, use, wield▪The new manager obviously felt the need to demonstrate her authority.
▪ lack▪ delegate, transfer▪ cede, give up, relinquish▪ abuse, exceed, overstep▪Some legal experts think the agency may have exceeded its authority.
▪ accept, recognize, respect▪ challenge, defy, deny, question, rebel against, reject, undermine▪She had challenged my authority once too often.
▪ usurpAUTHORITY + NOUN▪ figure▪adult authority figures such as parents and teachers
PREPOSITION▪ in authority▪I need to talk to someone in authority.
▪ under the authority of▪Border security will fall under the authority of the department.
▪This can only be done under the authority of the president.
▪ without authority▪He took the car without authority.
▪ authority over▪He refuses to relinquish authority over the design process.
PHRASES▪ an air of authority▪He bore an air of authority.
▪ a position of authority▪She holds a position of authority in the local church.
3 person with special knowledgeADJECTIVE▪ foremost, leading, respected, worldVERB + AUTHORITY▪ cite, invoke▪He justified his innovation by citing respected authorities.
PREPOSITION▪ authority on▪She's a leading authority on genetics.
Collocations dictionary. 2013.
