to clothe with authority, warrant, or legal power; to give a right to act; to empower; as, to authorize commissioners to settle a boundary.-to make legal; to give legal sanction to; to legalize; as, to authorize a marriage.-to establish by authority, as by usage or public opinion; to sanction; as, idioms authorized by usage.-to sanction or confirm by the authority of some one; to warrant; as, to authorize a report.-to justify; to furnish a ground for.