au ‧ thor ‧ ize BrE AmE ( also authorise British English ) /ˈɔːθəraɪz $ ˈɒː-/ verb [transitive]
[ Word Family: noun : ↑ authority , ↑ authorization , ↑ authoritarian , ↑ authoritarianism ; adjective : ↑ authoritarian , ↑ authoritative , authorized ≠ ↑ unauthorized ; verb : ↑ authorize ; adverb : ↑ authoritatively ]
to give official permission for something:
an authorized biography
authorize somebody to do something
Napoleon III authorized Haussmann to rebuild Paris.
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THESAURUS
▪ allow to say that someone can do something – used about parents, teachers, or people in authority:
They don’t allow students to chew gum in the classroom.
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I’m not allowed to stay out after ten o'clock.
▪ let [not in passive] to allow someone to do something. Let is not used in the passive, and is much more commonly used in everyday English than allow :
Will your Mum let you come to the party?
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I’ll borrow John’s bicycle, if he’ll let me.
▪ permit formal if something is permitted, it is allowed according to the rules - used especially on written notices and announcements:
Smoking is not permitted anywhere in the building.
▪ give somebody permission used when someone in an important official position decides to allow someone to do something:
He was given special permission to leave school early.
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The Home Office has given him permission to stay in Britain indefinitely.
▪ give your consent to say that you will allow someone to do something that will affect you personally, or a member of your family, when you have a legal right to say ‘no’:
Her parents have given their consent to the marriage.
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You can’t build on someone’s land without the owner’s consent.
▪ give something the go-ahead to officially allow a planned project or activity to happen:
The government finally gave the go-ahead for a new terminal at Heathrow airport.
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A new nuclear plant has been given the go-ahead.
▪ authorize to officially or legally allow someone to do something - used about laws or people:
The UN resolution would authorize the use of force.
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I never authorized them to give information about me to other banks.
▪ entitle to give someone the right to do or have something:
The pass entitles you to travel on any bus, at any time, in Norwich.
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If the goods are faulty, the customer is entitled to a refund.
▪ sanction formal to give official approval and support for something:
The Truman administration refused to sanction a military attack.
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The advertisements were sanctioned by the candidate himself.