Au'thor-ize, v. t.

v. t. [imp. & p. p. AUTHORIZED; p. pr. & vb. n. AUTHORIZING.] [L. Lat. auctorizare, Pr. auctoriser, authorisar; Fr. autoriser, Sp. & Pg. autorizar, It. autorizzare. See AUTHOR.]

1. To clothe with authority, warrant, or legal power; to give a right to act; to empower; as, to authorize commissioners to settle the boundary of the state.
2. To make legal; to legalize; as, to authorize a marriage.
3. To establish by authority, as by usage or public opinion; as, idioms authorized by usage.
4. To give authority, credit, reputation, or support to; as, to authorize a report, or an opinion.

*A woman's story at a winter's fire Authorized by her grandam.* Shak. 5. To rely for authority. [Obs.] Authorizing himself, for the most part, upon other histories. Sidney.