I. com ‧ mis ‧ sion 1 S3 W2 /kəˈmɪʃ ə n/ BrE AmE noun
[ Date: 1300-1400 ; Language: Old French ; Origin: Latin commissio , from commissus , past participle of committere ; ⇨ ↑ commit ]
1 . [countable] a group of people who have been given the official job of finding out about something or controlling something:
The Government set up a commission to investigate allegations of police violence.
commission on
the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution
2 . [uncountable and countable] an extra amount of money that is paid to a person or organization according to the value of the goods they have sold or the services they have provided:
The dealer takes a 20% commission on the sales he makes.
on commission
He sold cosmetics on commission.
3 . [countable] a request for an artist, designer, or musician to make a piece of art or music, for which they are paid:
a commission from the Academy for a new sculpture
4 . [countable] the position of an officer in the army, navy etc
5 . [uncountable] formal the commission of a crime is the act of doing it ⇨ commit
6 . out of commission
a) not working or not available for use:
One of the ship’s anchors was out of commission.
b) informal ill or injured, and unable to work
7 . in commission available to be used:
The operating theatres will be back in commission next week.
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ verbs
▪ set up/establish/create a commission
They set up a commission to investigate the problem of youth crime.
▪ appoint a commission (=choose the members of a commission)
The President appointed a commission to develop standards in schools.
▪ head a commission (=be in charge of one)
He was elected to head a commission on tax reform.
▪ a commission recommends something
The commission recommended that the federal government change the way it measures inflation.
▪ a commission approves something
The commission approved the plan.
■ ADJECTIVES/NOUN + commission
▪ a special commission
A special commission was set up to investigate the killings.
▪ an independent commission
The plan requires approval by an independent commission.
▪ an international commission
an international commission on climate change
▪ a parliamentary commission
A report was made by a special parliamentary commission.
▪ a government commission
A government commission regulates the process.
▪ a national/federal commission
the National Commission on Terrorism
▪ a presidential commission
the Presidentail Commission on Health Care
▪ a joint commission (=involving two or more countries or groups)
a new India-Sri Lanka joint commission
▪ an investigative/investigating commission
An investigative commission was set up immediately after the incident.
II. commission 2 AC BrE AmE verb
1 . [transitive] to formally ask someone to write an official report, produce a work of art for you etc:
The report was commissioned by the Welsh Office.
commission somebody to do something
Macmillan commissioned her to illustrate a book by Spike Milligan.
2 . be commissioned (into something) to be given an officer’s rank in the army, navy etc:
I was commissioned into the RAF.