authorize

To empower another with the legal right to perform an action.

The Constitution authorizes Congress to regulate interstate commerce.

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authorize v. to officially empower someone to act. (See: authority)

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authorize verb accord, accredit, acquiesce in, admit, advocate, affirm, agree to, allow, appoint, approve, assent to, assign, auctor esse, be favorable to, be in favor of, certify, charge, charter, commission, concede, confer a privilege, confer a right, confirm, confirm officially, consent to, consign, countenance, credit, declare lawful, delegate to, depute, enable, endorse, endow, endow with power, entitle, entrust, establish, formalize, formally sanction, give a right, give authority, give leave, give permission, give power, go along with, grant, grant claims, grant permission, have no objection, homologate, interpose no obstacles, innest with power, legalize, legislate, legitimate, legitimatize, legitimize, license, maintain, make legal, make valid, permit, potestatem facere, prescribe, privilege, pronounce legal, put in force, put up with, recognize, recommend, release, reetore permission, sanctify, sanction, sanction a claim, sign, subscribe to, suffer to occur, support by authority, sustain, sustain by authority, tolerate, underwrite, validate, vest with a title, vouch for, vouchsafe, warrant
Associated concepts: agency, delegation
Foreign phrases: Semper qui non prohibet pro se intervenire, mandare creditur.He who does not prohibit the intervention of another in his behalf is deemed to have authorized it.

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See also: accept, accredit, appoint, approve, assent, assign, bestow, certify, charge, command, commit, concede, confirm, consent, consign, cosign, delegate, designate, detail, employ, empower, enable, enfranchise, entrust, grant, hire, indorse, invest, legalize, legislate, legitimate, let, notarize, pass, permit, qualify, sanction, seal, sign, suffer, validate, vest