civil authority
Học thuậtThân thiện
The mayor, as the civil authority, addresses the town at a community meeting.
Definition
- Noun:
- A person who exercises authority over civilian affairs: A civil authority is an individual who holds official power and responsibility for governing, administering, or making decisions within a civilian, non-military context. This authority is typically derived from law or public office.
Usage
- The term "civil authority" refers specifically to a person in a position of public governance, such as a mayor, governor, judge, or police chief, whose power is exercised over the civilian population.
- It is used to distinguish civilian leadership from military or religious authority.
Examples
- Noun:
- During the emergency, the mayor, as the highest civil authority in the city, ordered a curfew.
- The civil authority responsible for issuing business licenses is the city clerk.
Advanced Usage
- "Deference to civil authority": The act of respecting and obeying the decisions and rules made by civilian officials.
- The general showed proper deference to civil authority by following the governor's directives.
Variants and Related Words
- Civilian authority (n): A synonymous phrase emphasizing the non-military nature of the power.
- The transition from military to civilian authority was peaceful.
- Magistrate (n): A specific type of civil authority, often a judge or a local official.
- Public official (n): A broader term for anyone holding a position in government service.
Synonyms
- Civil servant: An official employed in the civil administration of government.
- Government official: A person holding a position of authority in a government.
- Magistrate: A civil officer who administers the law.
Antonyms
- Military authority: A person who exercises command within the armed forces.
- Ecclesiastical authority: A person who holds power within a religious institution.
Related Phrases
- Civil disobedience: The refusal to comply with certain laws or demands of a civil authority as a peaceful form of protest.
- The activists practiced civil disobedience to challenge the civil authority.
The mayor, as the civil authority, addresses the town at a community meeting.
Noun
- a person who exercises authority over civilian affairs