Definition

1. Noun:

   • A written assurance or guarantee: A formal document promising that a product or service will meet specified standards or be provided.
   • Formal authorization or approval: An official sanction or endorsement for an action.
   • A type of financial security: A certificate issued by a corporation giving the holder the right to buy a specific amount of its stock at a fixed price within a set time.
   • A judicial writ: A written order issued by a court, especially one authorizing law enforcement to perform a specific act, such as an arrest or search.

2. Verb:

   • To guarantee or vouch for: To provide a formal assurance regarding the quality, accuracy, or condition of something.
   • To justify or provide adequate grounds for: To serve as a sufficient reason for an action, decision, or belief.

Usage Examples

• Noun:

  • The new television comes with a two-year warranty. (The new television includes a two-year written guarantee.)
  • The police cannot search your house without a warrant. (The police need a judicial order to search your house.)
  • He invested in bonds that came with stock warrants. (He invested in bonds that included rights to purchase stock.)

• Verb:

  • The manufacturer warrants that all parts are free from defects. (The manufacturer guarantees that all parts have no defects.)
  • The evidence was strong enough to warrant further investigation. (The evidence provided sufficient justification for more investigation.)

Advanced Usage

• "to have a warrant out for someone's arrest": To be the subject of an official judicial order for arrest.
  • The fugitive has a warrant out for his arrest in three states.
• "death warrant": An order authorizing a person's execution; (figuratively) an action ensuring failure or termination.
  • Signing that contract was the company's death warrant.
• "search warrant": A court order authorizing law enforcement to search a specified location for evidence.
  • The judge issued a search warrant for the suspect's apartment.

Variants and Related Words

• Warranty (n): A specific type of guarantee, often regarding the condition of a product and the maker's responsibility for repairing or replacing it.
  • The laptop's warranty covers hardware failures for one year.
• Warrantless (adj): Conducted without a judicial warrant.
  • A warrantless search is generally unconstitutional unless an exception applies.
• Warrantable (adj): Justifiable; able to be authorized or guaranteed.
  • The actions were not warrantable under company policy.

Synonyms

• Noun (Guarantee): Guarantee, assurance, covenant.
• Noun (Authorization): Authorization, sanction, mandate, license.
• Verb (Guarantee): Guarantee, certify, attest, vouch for.
• Verb (Justify): Justify, merit, deserve, call for.

Related Phrasal Verbs

(Note: "Warrant" is not commonly used in phrasal verb constructions. Its meanings are typically expressed directly.)

Related Idioms

• "I'll warrant (you)": (Archaic/Formal) I assure or promise you.
  • He's up to no good, I'll warrant you.
• "Warrant attention/consideration": To deserve or require attention or consideration.
  • The scientist's new theory warrants serious consideration from her peers.

Noun

1. a written assurance that some product or service will be provided or will meet certain specifications
2. formal and explicit approval
   • a Democrat usually gets the union's endorsement
3. a type of security issued by a corporation (usually together with a bond or preferred stock) that gives the holder the right to purchase a certain amount of common stock at a stated price
   • as a sweetener they offered warrants along with the fixed-income securities
4. a writ from a court commanding police to perform specified acts

Verb

1. stand behind and guarantee the quality, accuracy, or condition of
   • The dealer warrants all the cars he sells
   • I warrant this information
2. show to be reasonable or provide adequate ground for
   • The emergency does not warrant all of us buying guns
   • The end justifies the means