I. kəˈmishən noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English commissioun, from Middle French commission, from Latin commission-, commissio act of bringing together, committing, from commissus + -ion-, -io -ion
1.
a. : a formal written warrant or authority granting certain powers or privileges and authorizing or commanding the performance of certain acts or duties
whil'st our commission from Rome is read, let silence be commanded — Shakespeare
a commission jail delivery issued by the court
a commission to serve as notary public
b. obsolete : a warrant conferring authority to raise and command a body of troops
c. : a certificate conferring military or naval rank and authority on officers above a certain rank ; also : the rank and command so conferred
d. : a document issued to a lay worker in the Salvation Army who undertakes certain duties
2.
a. : an authorization or command to act in a prescribed manner or to perform prescribed acts or duties : instruction , charge
the priest was a custodian of Christ's commission to his apostles. “Whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven them” — M.W.Baldwin
b. : an order to perform a particular task or carry out a work
provide a young painter with a profitable commission for a portrait
3.
a. : authority to act for, in behalf of, or in place of another
had summoned all the clans which acknowledged his commission — T.B.Macaulay
b. : a task or matter entrusted to one as agent for another
executed a commission for me while he was in Singapore
4.
a. : a group of persons directed to perform some duty or execute some trust : a body of commissioners
U.N. commission to investigate differences between the two countries
b. : a government agency having administrative, legislative, or judicial powers
regulatory powers exercised by the Federal Trade Commission
c. : a city council having legislative and executive functions — see commission plan
5. : the act of committing, performing, or doing (as a crime, misdeed, or other offense)
the commission of an illegal act
the sins of omission and commission
6. : a fee paid to an agent or employee for transacting a piece of business or performing a service
a broker receives a commission on each share of stock bought for a customer
a commission of 50 cents for each car washed
especially : a percentage of the money received in a sale or other transaction paid to the agent responsible for the business
a commission of 9 percent on each sale
— see del credere
7. : the act of entrusting, committing, or giving authority
the commission of limited powers to the administrator
•
- in commission
- on commission
- out of commission
II. transitive verb
( commissioned ; commissioned ; commissioning -sh(ə)niŋ ; commissions )
1. : to give a commission to or for: as
a. : to confer a formal commission on : furnish with a written commission
officers will be commissioned upon graduation
b. : to endow with effective right or power : authorize , empower
judges are not commissioned to make and unmake rules at pleasure — B.N.Cardozo
c. : to appoint to a certain task, mission, function, or duty
commissioned to make out a deed of conveyance — Havelock Ellis
d. : to give an order to (a person) for a work (as an art work)
commissioned him to paint her portrait
: order (as a work of art) made or performed
commission a painting
2. : to put in commission (as a ship)
Synonyms: see authorize