authorities
authorities — noun
1. the ability or right to control what people do and to make them follow your deci
the ability or right to control what people do and to make them follow your decisions, because of your position, status, or official role
The school principal has the authority to suspend students who break the rules repeatedly.
the authority to
A police officer's authority over the public is limited by the law.
authority over
Parents often find that their natural authority weakens as their children become teenagers.
The queen's authority in modern Britain is mostly symbolic rather than political.
During the emergency, the mayor exercised full authority over the city's resources.
- power
broader term — can refer to physical strength or ability; 'authority' specifically implies legitimate or official control
- control
more direct and hands-on; 'authority' suggests the recognized right to control rather than the act itself
- command
stronger and more military in tone; suggests unquestioning obedience
- powerlessness
complete lack of ability to influence or control
文法句型
authority + over + noun phrase
authority + to + infinitive
用法筆記
Frequently uncountable — do not use 'authorities' when you mean the abstract power to command (use 'authority'). This sense describes the power itself, not the people who hold it.
常見錯誤
2. the official permission or right to do something, given by a person or organizat
the official permission or right to do something, given by a person or organization that has higher rank or more power
The board gave the treasurer the authority to open a new bank account for the charity.
the authority to
No one may enter the research lab without written authority from the director.
without written authority
Yuki has the authority to approve refunds of up to five thousand dollars without asking the manager first.
The city council does not have the legal authority to ban private cars from the downtown area.
By signing the contract, you grant us the authority to use your photos in our advertising campaign.
- permission
more general and less formal; 'authority' implies official or legal backing
- mandate
stronger — suggests a formal command or directive from above
- license
specifically a permit from an official body; 'authority' is broader
- prohibition
an official order forbidding something
- ban
a formal or legal block
文法句型
have the authority + to + infinitive
give/grant + noun phrase + authority + to + infinitive
without authority
用法筆記
Typically appears in the pattern 'have / give / grant + the + authority + to-infinitive.' The definite article 'the' is almost always used. This sense is distinct from sense 1 in that it focuses on delegated permission rather than inherent power.
常見錯誤
3. the people or groups who have the power to make decisions, give orders, and enfo
the people or groups who have the power to make decisions, give orders, and enforce laws in a particular area, such as the police, local government, or a public department — always used in the plural form
The health authorities in Nairobi warned residents about a possible outbreak of dengue fever.
health authorities
School authorities decided to close the building for a full week after the fire inspection failed.
School authorities
The local authorities in the small town of Dun Laoghaire plan to build a new cycling path along the coast.
Authorities in Seoul announced new measures to reduce fine dust pollution during the winter months.
The prison authorities placed the violent inmate in a separate cell for the safety of other prisoners.
- officials
more neutral and specific to individuals; 'authorities' can include both people and organizations
- government
narrower — specifically refers to the ruling body of a country or region
- administration
focuses on the executive branch or management; 'authorities' is broader
- citizens
ordinary people who are subject to the authorities' decisions
- the public
the general population, as opposed to those in power
文法句型
the authorities (as subject or object)
local / health / school / military authorities
用法筆記
Always used in the plural form even when referring to a single organization. 'The authority' (singular) in similar contexts means power or permission (senses 1–2), not the people. Distinguish from sense 4: 'authorities' here means people/officials, while sense 4 refers to the agency as an institution.
常見錯誤
4. an official organization or government body that is responsible for a specific a
an official organization or government body that is responsible for a specific area of public life, such as transport, housing, water supply, or energy
The local housing authority provides affordable apartments for families with low incomes.
housing authority
The New York Port Authority manages all three major airports in the area.
The water authority sent a repair team to fix the burst main pipe on Elm Street.
The transport authority announced that all train fares will remain the same until next spring.
The regional energy authority is responsible for supplying electricity to over two million households in this province.
- agency
more general; an 'authority' often has regulatory or administrative power, while an 'agency' may only provide services
- commission
usually an appointed group with specific regulatory duties; 'authority' often manages a public enterprise
- board
a group of directors or officials; 'authority' commonly implies a public body with operational responsibilities
文法句型
the + [name] + Authority
the + [adjective] + authority
用法筆記
When capitalized in a name — 'Port Authority,' 'Housing Authority' — it is a proper noun. In lower case, it describes the type of body generically. This sense counts as a separate noun (countable, singular) whereas sense 3 ('the authorities') is always plural.
常見錯誤
5. strong evidence, good reason, or a trustworthy source that makes a piece of info
strong evidence, good reason, or a trustworthy source that makes a piece of information believable or a decision justified
I have it on good authority that the company will announce layoffs next week.
on good authority
The journalist refused to name her sources but insisted she had solid authority for every claim in the article.
solid authority for
On what authority do you say that the election results were unfair?
The historian's conclusions carry great authority because she spent ten years studying the original documents.
Dietmar has it on good authority that the factory will be closed.
- evidence
more concrete (documents, data); 'authority' emphasizes the trustworthiness of the source
- warrant
more formal and legal; 'authority' is broader in everyday use
- justification
focuses on the reasoning, while 'authority' focuses on the source that backs the reasoning
文法句型
on + (good/strong/sound) + authority
have authority + for + noun phrase
用法筆記
Common in set phrases: 'on good authority', 'on reliable authority', 'on what authority?'. Often used to indicate that the speaker has inside or trustworthy information without naming the specific source.
常見錯誤
6. a person, book, or document that is recognized as a reliable source of informati
a person, book, or document that is recognized as a reliable source of information or expert knowledge on a particular subject
Professor Fatima Al-Rashid is a leading authority on ancient Arabic poetry and calligraphy.
authority on
The student cited several well-known authorities on climate science to support her thesis argument.
authorities on
Kwame's book on West African drumming traditions is considered the standard authority in the field.
For a research paper on marine biology, Priya consulted three separate authorities and compared their findings.
The Oxford English Dictionary remains the final authority on the history of English words and their meanings.
- expert
more common and less formal; 'authority' implies greater prestige and recognition
- specialist
focuses on narrow field expertise; 'authority' suggests acknowledged leadership in the field
- reference work
a book or source; 'authority' can refer to either a person or a document
文法句型
an authority + on + topic
cite + noun phrase + as an authority
用法筆記
Always takes 'on' to specify the area of expertise: 'an authority on medieval history.' Do not confuse with sense 5 — this sense refers to the person or work itself, not the reliability of information.
常見錯誤
7. a previous court decision, legal ruling, or judicial statement that lawyers and
a previous court decision, legal ruling, or judicial statement that lawyers and judges use as a rule or example when deciding similar cases
The defense lawyer cited a Supreme Court authority from 1987 to support her argument about free speech.
Supreme Court authority
A trial judge is bound by the authorities of higher courts in the same jurisdiction.
bound by the authorities
The prosecutor presented the jury with a binding authority that clearly applied to this type of fraud case.
Law students spend hours reading authorities to understand how previous rulings shape current legal thinking.
The judge ruled that the earlier case from California was not a persuasive authority in this New York court.
文法句型
cite + noun phrase + as authority
binding / persuasive authority
用法筆記
In law, 'authority' (countable in this sense) refers to a specific case, statute, or legal text. 'Binding authority' must be followed by lower courts; 'persuasive authority' may guide a judge's decision but is not mandatory. The plural 'authorities' is common.