• 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"
• 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"
• an authoritative written work; "this book is the final Authority on the life of Milton"
• an administrative unit of government; "the Central Intelligence Agency"; "the Census Bureau"; "Office of Management and Budget"; "Tennessee Valley Authority"
• 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"

'Authority' in other languages