noun
warrant
WOR-unt/ˈwɔːrənt/
An official document permitting police or judicial action.
The judge hands the officer a warrant authorizing action.
Etymology
From “defender” or “surety,” warrant developed the sense of a superior’s permission that protected someone from blame. It then came to mean a written document validating authority to act.
In context
the pby police department is in the process of getting a search warrant and they hope to search through that area
More examples
- The officers obtained a search warrant.
- Several warrants were reviewed.
- She checked the warrant's stated scope.
Forms
warrant · warrants
Similar words
- writ
- A formal legal order with a broader range of purposes.
- authorization
- Permission that need not take this specific legal form.