warrant

Etymology

appointing someone as a sergeant]] The noun is derived from Middle English warant (“protector; guard, shield, protection”), from Anglo-Norman warrant, Old Northern French warant, warand, a variant of Old French guarant, garant, garand (“assurance, guarantee; authorization, permission; protector; protection, safety”) (modern French garant), from Frankish *warand, present participle of *warjan (“to fend off; to stop, thwart”). The word is cognate with Old High German werento (“guarantor”). The verb is derived from Middle English warrant, waranten (“to give protection; to protect, shield; to assure, pledge, promise; to guarantee”), from Anglo-Norman warantir, warandir, warentir, and Old Northern French warandir, warantir, variant forms of Old French guarantir (“to protect”) (modern French garantir), a Romance formation from the noun guarant: see above.

noun

1. Authorization or certification; a sanction, as given by a superior.
   Two years after the first appearance on the London stage by an English actress, a royal warrant of 1660 decreed that women rather than boys were to play all female roles. 2007, Gill Perry, “Notes”, in Spectacular Flirtations: Viewing the Actress in British Art and Theatre, 1768–1820, New Haven, Conn., London: Published for the Paul Mellon Centre for Studies in British Art by Yale University Press, footnote 15, page 205, column 2
2. (countable) Something that provides assurance or confirmation; a guarantee or proof.
   a warrant of authenticity; a warrant for success
   The brazen serpent, lifted up in the centre of Israel's camp, with the publick declaration of its use, was a sufficient warrant to every man, when bitten by a fiery serpent, to look unto it. But … if any looked without at all expecting a cure according to the word of the Lord, they must have perished; not for want of a warrant to believe; but because they did not submit to the wisdom and authority of God, or rely on his faithfulness and mercy, in this appointed way of preservation. 1801, Thomas Scott, “Section II. Scriptural Proofs, that the Sinner Wants No Warrant for Believing in Christ, Except the Word of God.”, in The Warrant and Nature of Faith in Christ Considered, with Some Reference to the Various Controversies on that Subject, 2nd revised edition, Buckingham, Buckinghamshire: Printed by J. Seeley, sold by L. B. Seeley,[…], →OCLC, page 23
   He almost gives his failings as a warrant for his greatness. 1987, Garry Wills, Newsweek, volume 110, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 17, column 1
3. (countable) An order that serves as authorization; especially a voucher authorizing payment or receipt of money.
   And also be in enactid by the auctorite aforseid that no manꝰ [man's] clerke or clerkes or other parsone or parsones do wryte or make any maner of wryting warraunt or warrauntes, upon any maner gyfte or graunte made by the Kynges Highnes or by any other his Gracys offycers as aforsaide, … 1535–1536, “Chapter XI. An Acte Conc̉nynge Clerkes of the Signet and Privie Seale. [27 Henry VIII., c. 11]”, in The Statutes, revised edition, volumes I (Henry III. to James II. A.D. 1235–6 – 1685), London: Printed by George Edward Eyre and William Spottiswoode, printers to the Queen's Most Excellent Majesty, published 1870, →OCLC, page 458
   A Warraunt to Sir Edmond Peckham Knight, for twenty Pounds to be delivered to Fraunces Pitche, being ſent with Lettres to the Quene's Ambaſſador reſydent with the Frenche King. 24 September 1553, “State Papers in the Reign of Queen Mary”, in Samuel Haynes, editor, A Collection of State Papers, Relating to Affairs in the Reigns of King Henry VIII. King Edward VI. Queen Mary, and Queen Elizabeth, from the Year 1542 to 1570.[…], London: Printed by William Bowyer, published 1740, →OCLC, page 187
4. (finance, countable) An option, usually issued together with another security and with a term at issue greater than a year, to buy other securities of the issuer.
   But they [police juries] have no power to … issue promissory notes or warrants to cover funds which may be set aside for this purpose in future taxation without express authority from the supreme political power of the state. 1896, William A. Reid, “General Power to Incur Pecuniary Liability—Public Corporations”, in A Treatise on the Law Pertaining to Corporate Finance […] In Two Volumes, volume I, Albany, N.Y.: H. B. Parsons, law publisher, →OCLC, § 12, page 18
   The first Eurobond offering was for Crédit National who issued $50m 13.75% five-year notes with six-month warrants to purchase the same principal amount of 13.75% ten-year bonds. The cum-warrant price of the note quickly rose to 105.5% in a rising market, yet the warrants alone were quoted at $15. 2015, Chris O’Malley, “Masters of the Market: 1979–1984”, in Bonds without Borders: A History of the Eurobond Market, Chichester, West Sussex: John Wiley & Sons, page 76
5. (law, countable) A judicial writ authorizing an officer to make a search, seizure, or arrest, or to execute a judgment.
   an arrest warrant issued by the court
   Mr. Musso said he desired to make an application at this stage on behalf of the accused, namely, that he be discharged on the ground that he was improperly held in custody, there being no warrant issued by the Court and no counter-signature to any warrant by the Senior-Consul. At the last hearing the fact was disclosed that the accused was arrested without a warrant. 11 October 1913, “The Bomb-making Charge. An Important Discussion.”, in The North-China Herald and Supreme Court & Consular Gazette: The Weekly Edition of the North-China Daily News, volume CIX (New Series), number 2409, Shanghai: Printed and published at the offices of the North-China Daily News & Herald, Ld., →OCLC, pages 113–114
   Avina: Former Spectre agent Saren Arterius is nearing the vicinity of the Council Camber. Avina: A warrant has been issued for his arrest, though Citadel Security is unable to respond at this time. 2008, BioWare, Mass Effect (Science Fiction), Redwood City: Electronic Arts, →OCLC, PC, scene: Citadel
6. (military, countable) Short for warrant officer.
   [Dave T.] Daniels also stated that many supported the idea of an officers indoctrination course, with the aim of preparing warrants for broader responsibility. 2006, David R. Welsh, “Warrant Officer Associations over the Years: Chief Warrant Officers & Warrant Officers Association U.S. Coast Guard: 1919–Present”, in The Legacy of Leadership as a Warrant Officer, Nashville, Tenn., Paducah, Ky.: Turner Publishing Company, page 40
   1. (countable) A certificate of appointment given to a warrant officer.
      Several days passed away, and at length down came an order for [Harry] Bartlett to go on shore and take up his warrant for a sloop of war that was then round at Plymouth, to which place he was to make all haste to join. […] "Well, my man," said Sir Joseph [Sydney Yorke], in his usual deliberative manner, "and so it has pleased the powers aloft to reward your deserts, and you are now a warrant officer." 1854, “The Old Sailor” [pseudonym; Matthew Henry Barker], “Harry Bartlett”, in Floating Remembrances and Sketches of a Sea Life, London: Whittaker and Co.; Simpkin, Marshall, and Co.; Nottingham, Nottinghamshire: Dearden, →OCLC, page 86
7. (New Zealand, road transport, countable) A document certifying that a motor vehicle meets certain standards of mechanical soundness and safety; a warrant of fitness.
   Some years ago he had bought a motor vehicle with a warrant issued the same day only to find that the hand brake was not functioning properly and only one brake drum had any lining on it. He had recently heard of a similar case of a vehicle which had been issued with a warrant by the Christchurch City Council testing station, and the purchaser had to pay $60 to have the hand brake and hydraulic brake equipment fixed and the brakes relined. 22 October 1968, Norman Eric Kirk, “Appropriation Bill—Estimates”, in Parliamentary Debates (Hansard): Second Session, Thirty-fifth Parliament: House of Representatives, volume 357, Wellington: A. R. Shearer, government printer, published 1969, →OCLC, page 2502
8. (obsolete, countable) A defender, a protector.
9. (mining, uncountable) Underclay in a coal mine.

verb

1. (transitive, obsolete) To protect, keep safe (from danger).
   A spell which will warrant its employer against all risk of being shot. 1911, James George Frazer, The Golden Bough, volume 3, page 306
2. (transitive, obsolete) To give (someone) an assurance or guarantee">guarantee (of something); also, with a double object: to guarantee">guarantee (someone something).
   The warranty that a ship shall sail on a given day must be strictly performed. Thus, if a ship, warranted to sail on or before a particular day, be prevented from sailing on that day by an embargo, the warranty is not complied with. 1855, [Isaac Ridler Butts], “[Marine Insurance.] Chapter II.”, in The Merchant’s, Shipmaster’s and Mate’s Manual,[…], Boston, Mass.: Published by Isaac R. Butts,[…], →OCLC, page 63
   One or two bottles are warranted to cure all humor in the eyes. Two bottles are warranted to cure running of the ears, and blotches among the hair. 1871, Donald Kennedy, “[https://books.google.com/books?id=lGJnpDoDLfcC&pg=PP4 The Greatest Medical Discovery of the Age [advertisement]]”, in Kennedy on Diseases of the Skin, 2nd edition, Roxbury, Mass.: Donald Kennedy, →OCLC
3. (transitive) To guarantee (something) to be (of a specified quality, value, etc.).
4. (transitive) To guarantee as being true; (colloquial) to believe strongly.
   That tree is going to fall, I’ll warrant.
5. (transitive) To authorize; to give (someone) sanction or warrant (to do something).
   I am warranted to search these premises fully.
   [S]ince by our commission we are not warranted to treat but with the noblemen named by his majesty with the advice of the peers, and are particularly warranted to make exception against the earl of Traquair, for his malversation in the matter of the assembly and parliament, … 1852–1855, Thomas Wright, chapter XII, in The History of Scotland; from the Earliest Period to the Present Time, volume II, London, New York, N.Y.: Printed and published by the London Printing and Publishing Company, →OCLC, page 645, column 1
6. (transitive) To justify; to give grounds for.
   Circumstances arose that warranted the use of lethal force.
   A strong pressure was brought by consumers to this end; but neither the combinations nor the independent interests have felt that the pressure was sufficiently strong in warranting them in making a cut. 23 September 1903, “Notes from the United States”, in W[illiam] H[enry] Maw, J[ames] Dredge [Jr.], editors, Engineering: An Illustrated Weekly Journal, London: Offices for advertisements and publication—35 & 36, Bedford Street, Strand, W.C., published 2 October 1903, →OCLC, page 456, column 3
   The fact, however, that astonishment has been expressed at the clamor described, warrants a review of incidents which precipitated the events referred to. 15 April 1905, J. W. Midgley, “Private Cars. Why Private Car Lines were Overlooked—Thorough Investigation of Abuses Authorized. Circular Letter No. 38”, in The Railway and Engineering Review, volume XLV, number 15, Chicago, Ill.: Published [by Railway Review, Inc.] at 1305 Manhattan Building, →OCLC, page 265, column 3