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To submit to the authority of; to be ruled by. My will obeyed his will. Chaucer. Afric and India shall his power obey. Dryden.

ual. Sir. W. Hamilton. Objective has come to mean that which has independent exostence or authority, apart from our experience or thought. Thus, moral law is said to have objective authority, that is, authority belonging to itself, and not drawn from anything in our nature. Calderwood (Fleming's Vocabulary).…

A privilege granted by the sovereign authority, as the exclusive right of trade granted to a guild or society; a concession.

was raised again for our justification. Rom. iv. 25. I have given my opinion against the authority of two great men, but I hope without offense to their memories. Dryden.

A special duty, trust, charge, or position, conferred by authority and for a public purpose; a position of trust or authority; as, an executive or judical office; a municipal office.

Derived from the proper office or officer, or from the proper authority; made or communicated by virtue of authority; as, an official statement or report.

By the proper officer; by virtue of the proper authority; in pursuance of the special powers vested in an officer or office; as, accounts or reports officially vertified or rendered; letters officially communicated; persons officially notified.

Using oppression; tyrannical; as, oppressive authority or commands.

Any person reputed uncommonly wise; one whose decisions are regarded as of great authority; as, a literary oracle. "Oracles of mode." Tennyson. The country rectors . . . thought him an oracle on points of learning. Macaulay.

Resembling an oracle in some way, as in solemnity, wisdom, authority, obscurity, ambiguity, dogmatism. They have something venerable and oracular in that unadorned gravity and shortness in the expression. Pope. -- O*rac"u*lar*ly, adv. -- O*rac"u*lar*ness, n.

That which prescribes a method of procedure; a rule or regulation made by competent authority; as, the rules and orders of the senate. The church hath authority to establish that for an order at one time which at another time it may abolish. Hooker.

Observant of order, authority, or rule; hence, obedient; quiet; peaceable; not unruly; as, orderly children; an orderly community.

A rule established by authority; a permanent rule of action; a statute, law, regulation, rescript, or accepted usage; an edict or decree; esp., a local law enacted by a municipal government; as, a municipal ordinance. Thou wilt die by God's just ordinance. Shak. By custom and the ordinance of times. Shak. Walking in al…

Above in authority or station; -- implying government, direction, care, attention, guard, responsibility, etc.; -- opposed to Ant: under. Thou shalt be over my house. Gen. xli. 40. I will make thee rules over many things. Matt. xxv. 23. Dost thou not watch over my sin Job xiv. 16. His tender mercies are over all his wo…

cessive issue; an issue, as of notes or bonds, exceeding the limit of capital, credit, or authority. An overissue of government paper. Brougham.

One in authority over others; a chief; usually, an overseer or boss.

Over the rest in authority; above all others; highest. [Obs.] Fabyan.

To rule over; to govern or determine by superior authority.

A Roman catholic; one who adheres to the Church of Rome and the authority of the pope; -- an offensive designation applied to Roman Catholics by their opponents.

Of or pertaining to a parent or to parents; as, parental authority; parental obligations.