I. ˈwȯrənt, ˈwär- noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English warant, warrant protector, protection, warrant, from Old North French warant, modification (influenced by warir to protect, preserve, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German werien to defend) of a Germanic noun represented by Old High German werēnto guarantor, from present participle of werēn to warrant; akin to Old High German wāra bond, trust, care — more at weir , very
1.
a.
(1) : sanction furnished by or as if by law or a superior : authorization
have the warrant of old friendship — W.B.Yeats
also : the evidence for or a token of authorization
the prophet may deliver his burden with no warrant but the awful “thus saith the Lord” — M.R.Cohen
(2) : something that serves as a pledge, guarantee, or insurance : voucher , pledge , security
his worth is warrant for his welcome hither — Shakespeare
b.
(1) : something serving as a reason or ground for a belief, opinion, or action : justification , right , foundation
these two developments … give warrant in saying that the meetings mark the beginning of something new — Dean Acheson
had heard people speaking slightingly — perhaps without warrant — of his business ability — A.W.Long
(2) : something serving as confirmation or proof
their obviously increasing sophistication in matters of theory and method is a warrant of prodigious effort — W.W.Taylor
2.
a. : a commission or document giving authority to do something : an act, instrument, or obligation by which one person authorizes another to do something which he has not otherwise a right to do and thus secures him from loss or damage ; specifically : a writing that authorizes a person to pay or deliver to another and the other to receive money or other consideration
a warrant on a city treasurer
b.
(1) : a precept or writ issued by a competent officer or magistrate authorizing an officer to make an arrest, a seizure, or a search or to do other acts incident to the administration of justice
a warrant of attachment
— see bench warrant , search warrant
(2) : a magistrate's summons in a petty or summary proceeding in Virginia ; also : a proceeding so begun
(3) : a call for a town meeting stating the matters to be acted upon at the meeting
c. : an official certificate of appointment issued to an officer of lower rank than a commissioned officer — see warrant officer
d. Britain : a receipt given to a person who has deposited goods in a warehouse by assignment of which the title to the goods is transferred
e.
(1) : a short-term obligation of a municipality or other governmental body issued in anticipation of revenue
(2) : an instrument issued by a corporation giving to the holder the right to subscribe to the capital stock of the corporation at a fixed price either for a limited period or perpetually
3. : warrant officer
4. : a declaration of royal or other official determination
precedence is determined by royal warrant
•
- of warrant
- out of warrant
II. transitive verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Middle English waranten, from Old North French warantir, from warant protector, protection, warrant
1. obsolete : protect
2.
a. : to declare or maintain with little or no fear of being contradicted or belied : be certain : be sure that
I warrant he'll be with us when he's wanted — A.B.Paterson
b. : to assure (a person) of the truth of what is said : tell with assurance or positiveness
3.
a. : to guarantee to a person good title to and undisturbed possession of (as an estate) : secure (an estate granted) to a grantee : assure 5c
b. : to provide a guarantee of the security of (as title to property sold) usually by an express covenant in the deed of conveyance
c. : to guarantee (as a fact or a statement of fact) to be at present or at a future time as represented
the author hereby warrants … that the said work is an original work — John Gloag
d. : to guarantee (as goods sold) especially in respect of the quality or quantity specified
warranted against faulty workmanship or material for a period of ninety days after purchase — advt
4. : to guarantee security or immunity to : give assurance against harm, loss, or damage : secure
I'll warrant him from drowning — Shakespeare
5. : to give authority or power to for doing or forbearing to do something : give warrant or sanction to : authorize
the law warrants this procedure
6.
a. : to give proof of the authenticity or truth of : attest
his belief that metaphysics gives better warranted knowledge than science — Sidney Hook
b. : to give assurance of the nature of or for the undertaking of : guarantee
a pill warranted to cure measles, toothache, and rupture — C.E.Montague
the most eloquent preacher, warranted to produce a new religion every Sunday evening — W.L.Alden
7. : to serve as or give sufficient ground or reason for : require or permit as a consequence : justify
sufficiently distinct to warrant a name of its own — Jacquetta & Christopher Hawkes
the deposits contain too high a percentage of sulphur to warrant development — George Wythe
theologians whose stature warranted inclusion — R.P.Ramsey
Synonyms: see assert