warrant

Meanings

Noun

• Authorization or certification; a sanction, as given by a superior.
• Something that provides assurance or confirmation; a guarantee or proof.
• An order that serves as authorization; especially a voucher authorizing payment or receipt of money.
• 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.
• A judicial writ authorizing an officer to make a search, seizure, or arrest, or to execute a judgment.
• A document certifying that a motor vehicle meets certain standards of mechanical soundness and safety; a warrant of fitness.
• A defender, a protector.
• Underclay in a coal mine.

Verb

• To protect, keep safe (from danger).
• To give (someone) an assurance or guarantee (of something); also, with a double object: to guarantee (someone something).
• To guarantee (something) to be (of a specified quality, value, etc.).
• To guarantee as being true; to believe strongly.
• To authorize; to give (someone) sanction or warrant (to do something).
• To justify; to give grounds for.

Origin

• The noun is derived from Middle English warant, from Anglo-Norman warrant, Old Northern French warant, warand, a variant of Old French guarant, garant, garand (modern French garant), from Frankish *warand, present participle of *warjan. The word is cognate with Old High German werento.
• The verb is derived from Middle English warrant, waranten, from Anglo-Norman warantir, warandir, warentir, and Old Northern French warandir, warantir, variant forms of Old French guarantir (modern French garantir), a Romance formation from the noun guarant: see above.