WARRANT

warrant. Warrant, n. a writ of caption, authority, right

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War″rant (?), n. [[OE. warant, OF. warant a warrant, a defender, protector, F. garant, originally a p. pr. of German origin, fr. OHG. werēn to grant, warrant, G. gewähren; akin to OFries. wera. Cf. Guarantee.]] 1. 1. 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 from loss or damage; commission; authority. Specifically: —
(a) A writing which authorizes a person to receive money or other thing. (b) (Law) A precept issued by a magistrate authorizing an officer to make an arrest, a seizure, or a search, or do other acts incident to the administration of justice. (c) (Mil. & Nav.) An official certificate of appointment issued to an officer of lower rank than a commissioned officer. See Warrant officer, below. 2. 2. That which vouches or insures for anything; guaranty; security.
I give thee warrant of thy place. Shak. His worth is warrant for his welcome hither. Shak. 3. 3. That which attests or proves; a voucher.
4. 4. Right; legality; allowance. Shak.
Bench warrant. (Law) See in the Vocabulary. — Dock warrant (Com.), a customhouse license or authority. — General warrant. (Law) See under General. — Land warrant. See under Land. — Search warrant. (Law) See under Search, n. — Warrant of attorney (Law), written authority given by one person to another empowering him to transact business for him; specifically, written authority given by a client to his attorney to appear for him in court, and to suffer judgment to pass against him by confession in favor of some specified person. Bouvier. — Warrant officer, a noncommissioned officer, as a sergeant, corporal, bandmaster, etc., in the army, or a quartermaster, gunner, boatswain, etc., in the navy. — Warrant to sue and defend. (a) (O. Eng. Law) A special warrant from the crown, authorizing a party to appoint an attorney to sue or defend for him. (b) A special authority given by a party to his attorney to commence a suit, or to appear and defend a suit in his behalf. This warrant is now disused. Burrill.