释义 |
war·rant 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 |