authorities
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun 1. People or organizations with official power and control: The word "authorities" refers to the individuals or groups who have the legal right and power to make decisions, give orders, and enforce rules within a specific area or domain. It often implies a position of governance or expertise. 2. The government or its agencies: Specifically, "authorities" is commonly used to mean the government of a political unit or its various administrative departments and officials.
Usage and Examples
- The local authorities have announced a new recycling program. (This refers to the town or city government and its departments.)
- You must report the incident to the proper authorities. (This refers to the specific officials or agencies, like the police, who have jurisdiction.)
- According to the health authorities, vaccination is strongly recommended. (This refers to the recognized experts and governing bodies in the field of public health.)
Advanced Usage
- "The authorities": This definite phrase is very common and typically refers to the government or police in a general sense.
- The authorities are investigating the crime.
- Used to indicate a source of expert opinion or official information.
- Historical authorities disagree on the exact date of the event.
Variants and Related Words
- Authority (noun, singular):
- The power or right to give orders and make decisions. (e.g., She has the authority to sign the contract.)
- A person or organization with specialized knowledge. (e.g., He is a leading authority on medieval history.)
- Authoritative (adjective): Having the confident quality of someone who is respected or in command; able to be trusted as accurate.
- She gave an authoritative answer.
Synonyms
- Government
- Administration
- Officials
- Leadership
- The powers that be
Related Phrases
- In authority: Having a position of power.
- You need to speak to someone in authority.
- An authority on: An expert in a particular subject.
- She is an authority on constitutional law.
Noun
- the organization that is the governing authority of a political unit
- the government reduced taxes
- the matter was referred to higher authorities