warrant

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.

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.

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, [...]

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.

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.

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.

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.

To protect, keep safe (from danger).

[A]ll honeſt meanes for a man to warrant him-ſelfe from euills, are not onely tolerable, but commendable.

I'le warrant him for drowning, though the Ship were no ſtronger then a Nutt-ſhell, and as leaky as an vnſtanched wench.

To give (someone) an assurance or guarantee (of something); also, with a double object: to guarantee (someone something).

Crato in a conſultation of his for a noble patient, tels him plainly, that if his Highneſſe will keepe but a good diet, hee will warrant him his former health.

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.

To guarantee (something) to be (of a specified quality, value, etc.).

Tuc[ca]. [...] Can thy Author doe it impudently enough? / Hiſt[rio]. O, I warrant you, Captaine: and ſpitefully inough too; he ha's one of the moſt ouerflowing villanous wits, in Rome. He will ſlander any man that breathes; If he diſguſt him. / Tucca. I'le know the poor, egregious, nitty Raſcall; and he haue ſuch commendable Qualities, I'le cheriſh him: [...]

The chief mate of the Pequod was Starbuck, a native of Nantucket, and a Quaker by descent. [...] His pure tight skin was an excellent fit; and closely wrapped up in it, and embalmed with inner health and strength, like a revivified Egyptian, this Starbuck seemed prepared to endure for long ages to come, and to endure always, as now; for be it Polar snow or torrid sun, like a patent chronometer, his interior vitality was warranted to do well in all climates.

To guarantee as being true; (colloquial) to believe strongly.

That tree is going to fall, I’ll warrant.

"I warrant you," said Chiffinch the female, nodding, but rather to her own figure reflected from a mirror, than to her politic husband, "I warrant you we will find means of occupying him that will sufficiently fill up his time."

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, [...]