deputation
/ˌdepjuˈteɪʃn/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌdepjuˈteɪʃn/ (ame, ipa) · /ˌde-pyə-ˈtā-shən/ (ame, mw)
deputation — noun
- deputationsingular
- deputationsplural
1. a few people picked to meet with someone in power, speaking for a larger group a
a few people picked to meet with someone in power, speaking for a larger group and usually asking for help or raising a problem
A deputation of farmers visited the minister to protest the new water restrictions.
a deputation of + group + visit + authority figure
Élise led a deputation from the residents' committee to the city hall last Thursday.
led a deputation from [organization] to [target]
The headmaster met a deputation of parents who were worried about classroom safety.
Workers at the factory sent a deputation to ask the owner for fairer wages.
A small deputation of village elders waited outside the governor's office all morning.
- delegation
much more common in modern English; deputation sounds older and more formal
- mission
broader; can include diplomatic or religious purpose, not just petitioning
- embassy
now almost always means the diplomatic building, not the group of envoys
文法句型
a deputation of [people]
a deputation from [organization]
send a deputation to [target]
用法筆記
Subject is usually a representative group acting for a larger body; the verb is often plural even though 'deputation' is grammatically singular ('a deputation of farmers were waiting').
常見錯誤
2. the action of giving one of your duties or powers to another person so that they
the action of giving one of your duties or powers to another person so that they can carry it out in your place
The mayor argued that careful deputation of routine tasks freed her time for major policy decisions.
deputation of [tasks] + frees time for + bigger work
Roman magistrates often handled provincial disputes by deputation rather than travelling there in person.
by deputation: handle [task] through an appointed substitute
Rafael studied how medieval kings used the deputation of judicial powers to control distant regions.
The bishop signed the order of deputation, allowing Father Tuan to lead services during his absence.
- delegation
by far the more common word for this idea today
- assignment
broader: any handing-out of duties, not specifically passing them to a substitute
- commissioning
more formal; emphasises an official charge or authorisation
- retention
keeping the duty oneself rather than passing it on
文法句型
the deputation of [duty/power] to [someone]
by deputation
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 1 (the group): this sense is the act itself and is uncountable. 'Delegation' has largely replaced this word in everyday modern use; you mostly meet sense 2 in historical, legal, or church writing.