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They were originally licensed by the government, and endowed with special privileges and authority.

hire; devoted to common use; hence, much used; trite; mean; as, hackney coaches; hackney authors. "Hackney tongue." Roscommon.

The quality or state of being hard, literally or figuratively. The habit of authority also had given his manners some peremptory hardness. Sir W. Scott.

One who shows the agreement or harmony of corresponding passages of different authors, as of the four evangelists.

olice force; the place from which orders or instructions are issued; hence, the center of authority or order. The brain, which is the headquarters, or office, of intelligence. Collier.

Authority or dignity; chief place.

Gentile; pagan; as, a heathen author. "The heathen philosopher." "All in gold, like heathen gods." Shak.

The ethical theory which finds the explanation and authority of duty in its tendency to give pleasure.

Leadership; preponderant influence or authority; -- usually applied to the relation of a government or state to its neighbors or confederates. Lieber.

To forbear; to avoid. I can not help remarking the resemblance betwixt him and our author. Pope.

To subject to petty authority; -- said of a wife who thus treats her husband. Commonly used in the past participle (often adjectively).

Religious opinion opposed to the authorized doctrinal standards of any particular church, especially when tending to promote schism or separation; lack of orthodox or sound belief; rejection of, or erroneous belief in regard to, some fundamental religious doctrine or truth; heterodoxy. Doubts 'mongst divines, and diffe…

pertinaciously refuses to believe one or more of the articles of faith "determined by the authority of the universal church." Addis & Arnold.

One who has high and controlling authority in sacred things; the chief of a sacred order; as, princely hierarchs. Milton.

The principles or authority of a hierarchy. The more dominant hierarchism of the West. Milman.

Dominion or authority in sacred things.

Criticism which includes the study of the contents, literary character, date, authorship, etc., of any writing; as, the higher criticism of the Pentateuch. Called also historical criticism.

ped a considerable civilization, of which numerous monuments and inscriptions are extant. Authorities are not agreed as to their race. While several attempts have been made to decipher the Hittite characters, little progress has yet been made.

To retain in one's keeping; to maintain possession of, or authority over; not to give up or relinquish; to keep; to defend. We mean to hold what anciently we claim Of deity or empire. Milton.

r style; not elegant; rude; coarse. "Our homespun English proverb." Dryden. "Our homespun authors." Addison.