official permission or approval; "authority for the program was renewed several times"
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"
an authoritative written work; "this book is the final authority on the life of Milton"
an expert whose views are taken as definitive; "he is an authority on corporate law"
(usually plural) persons who exercise (administrative) control over others; "the authorities have issued a curfew"
the speech act of answering an attack on your assertions; "his refutation of the charges was short and persuasive"; "in defense he said the other man started it"
a formal public statement; "the government made an announcement about changes in the drug war"; "a declaration of independence"
a public statement about something that is happening or going to happen; "the announcement appeared in the local newspaper"; "the promulgation was written in English"