COMMISSION

I. noun Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin ~-, commissio act of bringing together, from committere Date: 14th century 1. a formal written warrant granting the power to perform various acts or duties, a certificate conferring military rank and authority, an authorization or command to act in a prescribed manner or to perform prescribed acts ; charge , 3. authority to act for, in behalf of, or in place of another, a task or matter entrusted to one as an agent for another, 4. a group of persons directed to perform some duty, a government agency having administrative, legislative, or judicial powers, a city council having legislative and executive functions, an act of committing something , a fee paid to an agent or employee for transacting a piece of business or performing a service, an act of entrusting or giving authority, II. transitive verb (-missioned; ~ing) Date: circa 1661 to furnish with a ~: as, to confer a formal ~ on , to appoint or assign to a task or function , to order to be made , to put (a ship) in ~