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That which warrants or authorizes; a commission giving authority, or justifying the doing of anything; an act, instrument, or obligation, by which one person authorizes another to do something which he has not otherwise a right to do; an act or instrument investing one with a right or authority, and thus securing him f…

mission, precept, or right; justifiable; defensible; as, the seizure of a thief is always warrantable by law and justice; falsehood is never warrantable. His meals are coarse and short, his employment warrantable, his sleep certain and refreshing. South. -- War"rant*a*ble*ness, n. -- War"rant*bly, adv.…

The person to whom a warrant or warranty is made.

One who warrants, gives authority, or legally empowers.

Authority; security; warranty. [Obs.] Shak.

One who warrants.

A covenant real, whereby the grantor of an estate of freehold and his heirs were bound to warrant and defend the title, and, in case of eviction by title paramount, to yield other lands of equal value in recompense. This warranty has long singe become obsolete, and its place supplied by personal covenants for title. Am…

f some contempt, or indicted for some crime; -- so called in distinction from a justice's warrant.

A writ brought before a proper tribunal, to inquire by what warrant a person or a corporation acts, or exercises certain powers. Blackstone.

Not warrantable; indefensible; not vindicable; not justifiable; illegal; unjust; improper. -- Un*war"rant*a*ble*ness, n. -- Un*war"rant*a*bly, adv.

Not warranted; being without warrant, authority, or guaranty; unwarrantable.

because of the insufficiency of the evidence furnished by physical and physical data, to warrant a positive conclusion (as taught by the school of Herbert Spencer); -- opposed alike dogmatic skepticism and to dogmatic theism.

An inferior officer of justice in Spain; a warrant officer; a constable. Prescott.

ng of a person by authority of law; legal restraint; custody. Also, a decree, mandate, or warrant. William . . . ordered him to be put under arrest. Macaulay. [Our brother Norway] sends out arrests On Fortinbras; which he, in brief, obeys. Shak.

The act of taking for granted, or supposing a thing without proof; supposition; unwarrantable claim. This gives no sanction to the unwarrantable assumption that the soul sleeps from the period of death to the resurrection of the body. Thodey. That calm assumption of the virtues. W. Black.

Assumed, or capable of being assumed; characterized by assumption; making unwarranted claims. -- As*sump"tive*ly, adv. Assumptive arms (Her.), originally, arms which a person had a right to assume, in consequence of an exploit; now, those assumed without sanction of the Heralds' College. Percy Smith.…

Justification; warrant. Wilt thou be glass wherein it shall discern Authority for sin, warrant for blame. Shak.

The act of giving authority or legal power; establishment by authority; sanction or warrant. The authorization of laws. Motley. A special authorization from the chief. Merivale.

To clothe with authority, warrant, or legal power; to give a right to act; to empower; as, to authorize commissioners to settle a boundary.

tern. -- To back up, to support; to sustain; as, to back up one's friends. -- To back a warrant (Law), is for a justice of the peace, in the county where the warrant is to be executed, to sign or indorse a warrant, issued in another county, to apprehend an offender. -- To back water (Naut.), to reverse the action of…