Definition of authority

"authority" in the noun sense

1. authority, authorization, authorisation, potency, dominance, say-so

the power or right to give orders or make decisions

"he has the authority to issue warrants"

"deputies are given authorization to make arrests"

"a place of potency in the state"

2. authority

usually plural) persons who exercise (administrative) control over others

"the authorities have issued a curfew"

3. authority

an expert whose views are taken as definitive

"he is an authority on corporate law"

4. assurance, self-assurance, confidence, self-confidence, authority, sureness

freedom from doubt belief in yourself and your abilities

"his assurance in his superiority did not make him popular"

"after that failure he lost his confidence"

"she spoke with authority"

5. agency, federal agency, government agency, bureau, office, authority

an administrative unit of government

"the Central Intelligence Agency"

"the Census Bureau"

"Office of Management and Budget"

"Tennessee Valley Authority"

6. authority, authorization, authorisation, sanction

official permission or approval

"authority for the program was renewed several times"

7. authority

an authoritative written work

"this book is the final authority on the life of Milton"

Source: WordNet® (An amazing lexical database of English)

Princeton University "About WordNet®."
WordNet®. Princeton University. 2010.


View WordNet® License

Quotations for authority

Authority, not majority. [ Stahl ]

A dog is obeyed in office. [ William Shakespeare ]

Authority intoxicates,
And makes mere sots of magistrates;
The fumes of it invade the brain.
And make men giddy, proud and vain;
By this the fool commands the wise;
The noble with the base complies;
The sot assumes the role of wit.
And cowards make the base submit. [ Butler ]

There is no fettering of authority. [ William Shakespeare ]

Self-possession is the backbone of authority. [ Haliburton ]

Caesar has no authority over the grammarians. [ Proverb ]

See what money can do: that can change
Men's manners; alter their conditions!
How tempestuous the slaves are without it!
O thou powerful metal! what authority
Is in thee! thou art the key to all mens
Mouths: with thee, a man may lock up the jaws
Of an informer; and without thee, he
Cannot open the lips of a lawyer. [ Richard Brome ]

Old men and travellers may lie with authority. [ Proverb ]

Example acquires tenfold authority when it speaks from the grave. [ W. Phillips ]

The love of power and the love of liberty are in eternal antagonism. [ J. Stuart Mill ]

Nothing is more gratifying to the mind of man than power of dominion. [ Addison ]

Thieves for their robbery have authority, when judges steal themselves. [ William Shakespeare ]

The centuries are conspirators against the sanity and authority of the soul. [ Ralph Waldo Emerson ]

Though authority be a stubborn bear, yet he is oft led by the nose with gold. [ William Shakespeare ]

The human voice has an authority and an insinuating property which writing lacks. [ Joubert ]

A fair woman shall not only command without authority, but persuade without speaking. [ Sir P. Sidney ]

Great is the power, great the authority, of a senate which is unanimous in its opinions. [ Cicero ]

Old age, especially an honored old age, has so great authority that this is of more value than all the pleasures of youth. [ Cicero ]

Duty speaks with the lawful authority of many voices; pleasure has no strength except in the longing desire of the hungry unit. [ Edith Simcox ]

No man is justified in resisting by word or deed the authority he lives under for a light cause, be such authority what it may. [ Carlyle ]

In Nature things move violently to their places, and calmly in their place; so virtue in ambition is violent, in authority settled and calm. [ Bacon ]

Friendship is to be purchased only by friendship. A man may have authority over others, but he can never have their heart but by giving his own. [ Thomas Wilson ]

Nothing ought to be more weighed than the nature of books recommended by public authority. So recommended, they soon form the character of the age. [ Burke ]

The love of liberty that is not a real principle of dutiful behavior to authority is as hypocritical as the religion that is not productive of a good life. [ Bishop Butler ]

The two chief things that give a man reputation in counsel, are the opinion of his honesty, and the opinion of his wisdom; the authority of those two will persuade. [ Ben Jonson ]

Thou hast seen a farmer's dog bark at a beggar? Ay Sir! And the creature run from the cur? There thou might'st behold the great image of authority: a dog's obeyed in office. [ William Shakespeare ]

As the health and strength or weakness of our bodies is very much owing to their methods of treating us when we were young, so the soundness or folly of our minds is not less owing to those first tempers and ways of thinking which we eagerly received from the love, tenderness, authority, and constant conversation of our mothers. [ E. Law ]

Custom is a violent and treacherous school mistress. She, by little and little, slyly and unperceived, slips in the foot of her authority; but having by this gentle and humble beginning, with the benefit of time, fixed and established it, she then unmasks a furious and tyrannic countenance, against which we have no more the courage or the power so much as to lift up our eyes. [ Montaigne ]

The blindness of bigotry, the madness of ambition, and the miscalculations of diplomacy seek their victims principally amongst the innocent and the unoffending. The cottage is sure to suffer for every error of the court, the cabinet, or the camp. When error sits in the seat of power and of authority, and is generated in high places, it may be compared to that torrent which originates indeed in the mountain, but commits its devastation in the vale. [ Colton ]

authority in Scrabble®

The word authority is playable in Scrabble®, no blanks required. Because it is longer than 7 letters, you would have to play off an existing word or do it in several moves.

Scrabble® Letter Score: 15

Highest Scoring Scrabble® Play In The Letters authority:

AUTHORITY
(171)

Seven Letter Word Alert: (1 word)

throaty

 

All Scrabble® Plays For The Word authority

AUTHORITY
(171)
AUTHORITY
(144)
AUTHORITY
(114)
AUTHORITY
(96)
AUTHORITY
(64)
AUTHORITY
(60)
AUTHORITY
(60)
AUTHORITY
(60)
AUTHORITY
(60)
AUTHORITY
(50)
AUTHORITY
(48)
AUTHORITY
(48)
AUTHORITY
(48)
AUTHORITY
(48)
AUTHORITY
(46)
AUTHORITY
(40)
AUTHORITY
(40)
AUTHORITY
(40)
AUTHORITY
(40)
AUTHORITY
(38)
AUTHORITY
(38)
AUTHORITY
(34)
AUTHORITY
(34)
AUTHORITY
(34)
AUTHORITY
(34)
AUTHORITY
(34)
AUTHORITY
(34)
AUTHORITY
(32)
AUTHORITY
(32)
AUTHORITY
(32)
AUTHORITY
(32)
AUTHORITY
(32)
AUTHORITY
(30)
AUTHORITY
(30)
AUTHORITY
(30)
AUTHORITY
(27)
AUTHORITY
(25)
AUTHORITY
(21)
AUTHORITY
(21)
AUTHORITY
(21)
AUTHORITY
(20)
AUTHORITY
(19)
AUTHORITY
(19)
AUTHORITY
(18)
AUTHORITY
(18)
AUTHORITY
(18)

The 200 Highest Scoring Scrabble® Plays For Words Using The Letters In authority

AUTHORITY
(171)
AUTHORITY
(144)
AUTHORITY
(114)
THROATY
(102 = 52 + 50)
THROATY
(101 = 51 + 50)
THROATY
(101 = 51 + 50)
AUTHORITY
(96)
THROATY
(92 = 42 + 50)
THROATY
(92 = 42 + 50)
THROATY
(92 = 42 + 50)
THROATY
(92 = 42 + 50)
THROATY
(92 = 42 + 50)
THROATY
(92 = 42 + 50)
THROATY
(92 = 42 + 50)
THROATY
(89 = 39 + 50)
THROATY
(86 = 36 + 50)
THROATY
(84 = 34 + 50)
THROATY
(84 = 34 + 50)
THROATY
(84 = 34 + 50)
THROATY
(80 = 30 + 50)
THROATY
(80 = 30 + 50)
THROATY
(80 = 30 + 50)
THROATY
(80 = 30 + 50)
THROATY
(78 = 28 + 50)
THROATY
(78 = 28 + 50)
THROATY
(78 = 28 + 50)
THROATY
(78 = 28 + 50)
THROATY
(78 = 28 + 50)
THROATY
(76 = 26 + 50)
THROATY
(76 = 26 + 50)
THROATY
(76 = 26 + 50)
THROATY
(76 = 26 + 50)
THROATY
(76 = 26 + 50)
THROATY
(73 = 23 + 50)
THROATY
(73 = 23 + 50)
THROATY
(69 = 19 + 50)
THROATY
(69 = 19 + 50)
THROATY
(68 = 18 + 50)
THROATY
(68 = 18 + 50)
THROATY
(68 = 18 + 50)
THROATY
(67 = 17 + 50)
THROATY
(65 = 15 + 50)
THROATY
(65 = 15 + 50)
THROATY
(65 = 15 + 50)
THROATY
(65 = 15 + 50)
THROATY
(64 = 14 + 50)
AUTHORITY
(64)
AUTHORITY
(60)
AUTHORITY
(60)
AUTHORITY
(60)
AUTHORITY
(60)
AUTHORITY
(50)
AUTHORITY
(48)
AUTHORITY
(48)
THIRTY
(48)
THIRTY
(48)
AUTHORITY
(48)
AUTHORITY
(48)
AUTHORITY
(46)
HAIRY
(45)
YOUTH
(45)
YIRTH
(45)
HOARY
(45)
YOUTH
(45)
YIRTH
(45)
HOARY
(45)
HAIRY
(45)
AHOY
(42)
AUTHORITY
(40)
AUTHORITY
(40)
THIRTY
(40)
THIRTY
(40)
AUTHORITY
(40)
AUTHORITY
(40)
THROAT
(39)
THIRTY
(39)
THIRTY
(39)
THIRTY
(39)
HOTAIR
(39)
AUTHOR
(39)
TRYOUT
(39)
YTTRIA
(39)
THIRTY
(39)
AUTHORITY
(38)
AUTHORITY
(38)
HAIRY
(38)
HOARY
(38)
HOARY
(38)
YOUTH
(38)
YIRTH
(38)
YOUTH
(38)
YIRTH
(38)
HAIRY
(38)
HAIRY
(36)
YURTA
(36)
TORAH
(36)
HAIRY
(36)
HOARY
(36)
TRUTH
(36)
YIRTH
(36)
YOUTH
(36)
HOARY
(36)
YOUTH
(36)
RATTY
(36)
THIRTY
(36)
RUTTY
(36)
THIRTY
(36)
YIRTH
(36)
YTTRIA
(34)
AUTHORITY
(34)
AUTHORITY
(34)
AUTHORITY
(34)
AUTHORITY
(34)
HOTAIR
(34)
AUTHORITY
(34)
THROAT
(34)
AUTHORITY
(34)
HOARY
(33)
HAIRY
(33)
HAIRY
(33)
HOARY
(33)
HOUR
(33)
HURT
(33)
HOAR
(33)
HOARY
(33)
ARTY
(33)
OATH
(33)
HAIRY
(33)
AIRY
(33)
YURT
(33)
YOUTH
(33)
YOUTH
(33)
YOUR
(33)
AHOY
(33)
YOUTH
(33)
YIRTH
(33)
YIRTH
(33)
YIRTH
(33)
HAIR
(33)
TRAY
(33)
TROY
(33)
AUTHORITY
(32)
THIRTY
(32)
AUTHORITY
(32)
THIRTY
(32)
RUTTY
(32)
THIRTY
(32)
RATTY
(32)
AUTHORITY
(32)
YURTA
(32)
AUTHORITY
(32)
AUTHORITY
(32)
TRUTH
(32)
TORAH
(32)
HAIRY
(30)
AUTHORITY
(30)
YOUTH
(30)
YOUTH
(30)
AUTHOR
(30)
AHOY
(30)
HAIRY
(30)
AUTHOR
(30)
HOTAIR
(30)
HOTAIR
(30)
AUTHOR
(30)
YOUTH
(30)
HOARY
(30)
YTTRIA
(30)
YTTRIA
(30)
HOARY
(30)
YTTRIA
(30)
HOARY
(30)
YTTRIA
(30)
AUTHOR
(30)
HOTAIR
(30)
HOARY
(30)
YOUTH
(30)
HAIRY
(30)
AUTHOR
(30)
HOTAIR
(30)
HAIRY
(30)
HOTAIR
(30)
YTTRIA
(30)
AUTHORITY
(30)
AHOY
(30)
YIRTH
(30)
TRYOUT
(30)
TRYOUT
(30)
TRYOUT
(30)
THROAT
(30)
THROAT
(30)
THROAT
(30)
THROAT
(30)
YIRTH
(30)
TRYOUT
(30)
THROAT
(30)
TRYOUT
(30)
AHOY
(30)
AHOY
(30)
YIRTH
(30)

authority in Words With Friends™

The word authority is playable in Words With Friends™, no blanks required. Because it is longer than 7 letters, you would have to play off an existing word or do it in several moves.

Words With Friends™ Letter Score: 14

Highest Scoring Words With Friends™ Play In The Letters authority:

AUTHORITY
(198)

Seven Letter Word Alert: (1 word)

throaty

 

All Words With Friends™ Plays For The Word authority

AUTHORITY
(198)
AUTHORITY
(120)
AUTHORITY
(96)
AUTHORITY
(72)
AUTHORITY
(68)
AUTHORITY
(66)
AUTHORITY
(64)
AUTHORITY
(60)
AUTHORITY
(60)
AUTHORITY
(56)
AUTHORITY
(56)
AUTHORITY
(54)
AUTHORITY
(54)
AUTHORITY
(54)
AUTHORITY
(54)
AUTHORITY
(44)
AUTHORITY
(44)
AUTHORITY
(40)
AUTHORITY
(36)
AUTHORITY
(36)
AUTHORITY
(32)
AUTHORITY
(32)
AUTHORITY
(32)
AUTHORITY
(32)
AUTHORITY
(30)
AUTHORITY
(30)
AUTHORITY
(28)
AUTHORITY
(28)
AUTHORITY
(28)
AUTHORITY
(28)
AUTHORITY
(28)
AUTHORITY
(28)
AUTHORITY
(22)
AUTHORITY
(21)
AUTHORITY
(20)
AUTHORITY
(20)
AUTHORITY
(19)
AUTHORITY
(19)
AUTHORITY
(18)
AUTHORITY
(18)
AUTHORITY
(18)
AUTHORITY
(18)
AUTHORITY
(18)
AUTHORITY
(18)
AUTHORITY
(17)
AUTHORITY
(17)
AUTHORITY
(17)
AUTHORITY
(17)
AUTHORITY
(17)
AUTHORITY
(17)
AUTHORITY
(16)
AUTHORITY
(16)
AUTHORITY
(15)

The 200 Highest Scoring Words With Friends™ Plays Using The Letters In authority

AUTHORITY
(198)
AUTHORITY
(120)
AUTHORITY
(96)
THROATY
(92 = 57 + 35)
THROATY
(92 = 57 + 35)
THROATY
(86 = 51 + 35)
THROATY
(86 = 51 + 35)
THROATY
(80 = 45 + 35)
THROATY
(80 = 45 + 35)
THROATY
(79 = 44 + 35)
THROATY
(79 = 44 + 35)
THROATY
(79 = 44 + 35)
THROATY
(74 = 39 + 35)
THROATY
(74 = 39 + 35)
THROATY
(74 = 39 + 35)
THROATY
(74 = 39 + 35)
AUTHORITY
(72)
THROATY
(69 = 34 + 35)
THROATY
(69 = 34 + 35)
AUTHORITY
(68)
AUTHORITY
(66)
AUTHORITY
(64)
THROATY
(63 = 28 + 35)
THROATY
(63 = 28 + 35)
THROATY
(61 = 26 + 35)
THROATY
(61 = 26 + 35)
THROATY
(61 = 26 + 35)
THROATY
(61 = 26 + 35)
AUTHORITY
(60)
AUTHORITY
(60)
THROATY
(59 = 24 + 35)
THROATY
(59 = 24 + 35)
THROATY
(59 = 24 + 35)
THROATY
(59 = 24 + 35)
THROATY
(57 = 22 + 35)
THROATY
(57 = 22 + 35)
THROATY
(57 = 22 + 35)
THROATY
(57 = 22 + 35)
THROATY
(57 = 22 + 35)
THROATY
(57 = 22 + 35)
THROATY
(57 = 22 + 35)
AUTHORITY
(56)
AUTHORITY
(56)
AUTHORITY
(54)
AUTHORITY
(54)
AUTHORITY
(54)
THROATY
(54 = 19 + 35)
THIRTY
(54)
AUTHORITY
(54)
THROATY
(54 = 19 + 35)
THROATY
(53 = 18 + 35)
AUTHOR
(51)
TRYOUT
(51)
THROATY
(51 = 16 + 35)
THROATY
(51 = 16 + 35)
THROATY
(50 = 15 + 35)
THROATY
(50 = 15 + 35)
THROATY
(50 = 15 + 35)
THROATY
(50 = 15 + 35)
THROATY
(50 = 15 + 35)
THROATY
(50 = 15 + 35)
THROATY
(50 = 15 + 35)
THROATY
(50 = 15 + 35)
THROATY
(49 = 14 + 35)
THROATY
(49 = 14 + 35)
YTTRIA
(48)
THIRTY
(48)
YOUTH
(48)
THROATY
(48 = 13 + 35)
YOUTH
(48)
HOTAIR
(48)
THROATY
(48 = 13 + 35)
THROATY
(48 = 13 + 35)
THROATY
(48 = 13 + 35)
THROATY
(48 = 13 + 35)
THROATY
(48 = 13 + 35)
THIRTY
(48)
THROATY
(47 = 12 + 35)
THROATY
(47 = 12 + 35)
THROATY
(47 = 12 + 35)
THROATY
(47 = 12 + 35)
THROATY
(46 = 11 + 35)
HOARY
(45)
YIRTH
(45)
HAIRY
(45)
HOARY
(45)
TRYOUT
(45)
YIRTH
(45)
AUTHOR
(45)
HAIRY
(45)
AUTHORITY
(44)
AUTHORITY
(44)
RUTTY
(42)
YTTRIA
(42)
THIRTY
(42)
TRUTH
(42)
YURTA
(42)
HOTAIR
(42)
THROAT
(42)
AHOY
(42)
YOUTH
(40)
THIRTY
(40)
AUTHORITY
(40)
THIRTY
(40)
TRYOUT
(39)
TORAH
(39)
YOUR
(39)
AUTHOR
(39)
YURT
(39)
HOUR
(39)
HURT
(39)
RATTY
(39)
TRYOUT
(39)
AUTHOR
(39)
ARTY
(36)
HOTAIR
(36)
YURTA
(36)
HAIR
(36)
TROY
(36)
AIRY
(36)
AUTHOR
(36)
HOARY
(36)
OATH
(36)
AUTHOR
(36)
YIRTH
(36)
HAIRY
(36)
THIRTY
(36)
THIRTY
(36)
THIRTY
(36)
TRAY
(36)
YTTRIA
(36)
THROAT
(36)
THROAT
(36)
TRYOUT
(36)
YOUTH
(36)
HOAR
(36)
THIRTY
(36)
AUTHORITY
(36)
AUTHORITY
(36)
RUTTY
(36)
TRYOUT
(36)
YOUTH
(36)
AUTHOR
(33)
YIRTH
(33)
YIRTH
(33)
TRYOUT
(33)
TRYOUT
(33)
THOU
(33)
THRU
(33)
AUTHOR
(33)
TRYOUT
(33)
HAIRY
(33)
HAIRY
(33)
TRYOUT
(33)
HOARY
(33)
HOARY
(33)
AUTHOR
(33)
AUTHOR
(33)
HOTAIR
(32)
AUTHORITY
(32)
THROAT
(32)
YTTRIA
(32)
AUTHORITY
(32)
THIRTY
(32)
YTTRIA
(32)
AUTHORITY
(32)
HOTAIR
(32)
RUTTY
(32)
AUTHORITY
(32)
THROAT
(32)
YURTA
(32)
YOUTH
(32)
YOUTH
(32)
TRUTH
(32)
THIRTY
(32)
HOTAIR
(30)
HAIRY
(30)
HOTAIR
(30)
TROUT
(30)
HOTAIR
(30)
TRUTH
(30)
HOTAIR
(30)
THIRTY
(30)
HOARY
(30)
HOARY
(30)
RUTTY
(30)
RUTTY
(30)
HAIRY
(30)
THIRTY
(30)
HOTAIR
(30)
THROAT
(30)
THROAT
(30)
THROAT
(30)
THROAT
(30)
THROAT
(30)
TRUTH
(30)
YURTA
(30)
AHOY
(30)
TUTOR
(30)
YIRTH
(30)

Words within the letters of authority

2 letter words in authority (14 words)

6 letter words in authority (6 words)

7 letter words in authority (1 word)

9 letter words in authority (1 word)

authority + 2 blanks (1 word)

Words containing the sequence authority

Words that start with authority (1 word)

Words with authority in them (1 word)

Words that end with authority (4 words)

Word Growth involving authority

Shorter words in authority

or author

it

Longer words containing authority

antiauthority

coauthority

proauthority