Word.ws English Dictionary

warrant

Syllables: war·rantUK/ˈwɒɹənt//ˈwɔɹənt/

warrant noun: authorization or certification; a sanction, as given by a superior. Also the ellipsis of warrant officer.

warrant: authorization or certification; a sanction, as given by a superior
Image: NYARNG, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Noun

warrant (countable and uncountable, plural warrants)

  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...
  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...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...
  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)...
    • 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.1553 September 24, “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...
  4. (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....
    • 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, →ISBN, page 76
  5. (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...1913 October 11, “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...
  6. (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...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...
  7. (New Zealand, 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...1968 October 22, Norman Eric Kirk, “Appropriation Bill—Estimates”, in Parliamentary Debates (Hansard): Second Session, Thirty-fifth Parliament: House of Representatives, volume 357, Wellington: A. R....
    • She had inherited from Rufus a 1994 Nissan Vanette that routinely failed its warrant and was always breaking down;2023, Eleanor Catton, Birnam Wood, page 55
  8. (countable, obsolete) A defender, a protector.
    • And whanne I ſawe her makynge ſuche dole / I asked her who ſlewe her lorde ¶ Syre ſhe ſaid the falſest knyght of the world now lyuyng and he is the mooſt vylayne that euer man herd ſpeke of / and his name is ſir Breuſe ſaunce pyte / thenne for pyte I made the damoyſel to lepe on her palfroy / and I...[1470–1485 (date produced), Thomas Malory, “Capitulum secūdum”, in [Le Morte Darthur], book X, [London: […] by William Caxton], published 31 July 1485, →OCLC, leaves 207, verso – 208, recto...
  9. (uncountable) Underclay in a coal mine.
    Synonyms:
    warren earth

Verb

warrant (third-person singular simple present warrants, present participle warranting, simple past and past participle warranted)

  1. (obsolete, transitive) 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.1603, Michel de Montaigne, “Of Constancie”, in John Florio, transl., The Essayes […], book I, London: […] Val[entine] Simmes for Edward Blount […], →OCLC, page 21
    • I'le warrant him for drowning, though the Ship were no ſtronger then a Nutt-ſhell, and as leaky as an vnſtanched wench.1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tempest”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published...
  2. (obsolete, transitive) 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.1624, Democritus Junior [pseudonym; Robert Burton], “Diet Rectified in Substance”, in The Anatomy of Melancholy: […], 2nd edition, Oxford, Oxfordshire: […] John Lichfield and James Short, for Henry...
    • 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
  3. (transitive) 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...1601, Ben Jonson, Poetaster or The Arraignment: […], London: […] [R. Bradock] for M[atthew] L[ownes] […], published 1602, →OCLC, Act III
    • 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...1851 November 14, Herman Melville, “Knights and Squires”, in Moby-Dick; or, The Whale, 1st American edition, New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers; London: Richard Bentley, →OCLC, page 125
  4. (transitive) 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."1822, [Walter Scott], chapter V, in Peveril of the Peak. […], volume IV, Edinburgh: […] Archibald Constable and Co.; London: Hurst, Robinson, and Co., →OCLC, pages 98–99
  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...
  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.1903 September 23, “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...

Also used as

warrant is also the ellipsis of warrant officer.

warrant meaning in Hindi, Marathi, Urdu and Bengali

warrant in Hindi

वारंट

warrant in Marathi

वॉरंट

warrant in Urdu

وارنٹ

warrant in Bengali

ওয়ারেন্ট, পরোয়ানা, ওয়্যারেন্ট
More languagesFewer languages
warrant in Telugu
వారెంట్
warrant in Malayalam
വാറണ്ട്, വാറന്റ്, വാറൻ്റ്
warrant in Kannada
ವಾರಂಟ್, ವಾರೆಂಟ್
warrant in Punjabi
ਵਾਰੰਟ
warrant in Gujarati
વોરંટ
warrant in Odia
ୱାରେଣ୍ଟ୍, ୱାରେଣ୍ଟ
warrant in Nepali
वारेन्ट
warrant in Arabic
أَمْر ʔamr, مُذَكِّرَة muḏakkira
warrant in Malay
waran
warrant in Indonesian
surat perintah, opsi, waran

Examples of warrant in a sentence

  • 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.1801, Thomas Scott, “Section II. Scriptural Proofs, that the Sinner Wants No Warrant for Believing in Christ, Except the Word of God.”, in...
  • But," said Francesca, hesitatingly, "will not Lord Avonleigh need some warrant for the truth of this history?"1834, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], chapter XIII, in Francesca Carrara. […], volume II, London: Richard Bentley, […], (successor to Henry...
  • He almost gives his failings as a warrant for his greatness.1987, Garry Wills, Newsweek, volume 110, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 17, column 1:
  • At the last hearing the fact was disclosed that the accused was arrested without a warrant.1913 October 11, “The Bomb-making Charge. An Important Discussion.”, in The North-China Herald and Supreme Court & Consular Gazette: The...

All 40 example sentences with warrant

Synonyms of warrant

2 more synonymsFewer synonyms

All synonyms of warrant

Forms of warrant

Noun
pluralwarrants
alternative formwarraunt
Verb
third-person singular presentwarrants
present participlewarranting
past participlewarranted
pastwarranted

Past tense of warrant: warranted

Plural of warrant: warrants

Origin of warrant

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.

Words formed from warrant

Phrases with warrant

9 more phrasesFewer phrases

Words that rhyme with warrant

Questions about warrant

What does warrant mean?
Warrant means authorization or certification; a sanction, as given by a superior.
What is warrant in Hindi?
Warrant in Hindi is वारंट. See Warrant meaning in Hindi.
How do you use warrant in a sentence?
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.
What part of speech is warrant?
Warrant can be a noun or a verb.
How do you pronounce warrant?
Warrant is pronounced /ˈwɒɹənt/ (UK).
What is the plural of warrant?
The plural of warrant is warrants.

Words near warrant in the dictionary

  1. warranding
  2. warrands
  3. Warrandyte
  4. Warrandyte South
  5. Warrane
  6. warrant
  7. warrant canaries
  8. warrant canary
  9. warrant card
  10. warrant cards
  11. warrant of arrest

Source and license

Adapted from Wiktionary: warrant (page history and authors); warrant (Hindi, IndicTrans2 machine translation) (model and license); warrant (Marathi, IndicTrans2 machine translation) (model and license); warrant (Urdu, IndicTrans2 machine translation) (model and license); warrant (Bengali, IndicTrans2 machine translation) (model and license); warrant (Telugu, IndicTrans2 machine translation) (model and license); warrant (Malayalam, IndicTrans2 machine translation) (model and license); warrant (Kannada, IndicTrans2 machine translation) (model and license); warrant (Punjabi, IndicTrans2 machine translation) (model and license); warrant (Gujarati, IndicTrans2 machine translation) (model and license); warrant (Odia, IndicTrans2 machine translation) (model and license); warrant (Nepali, IndicTrans2 machine translation) (model and license). Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws reformatted the entry and added links. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.

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Pronunciation audio from Wikimedia Commons, each file under its own free license: en-us-warrant.ogg, en-au-warrant.ogg.

Cite this entry: “warrant.” Word.ws, https://word.ws/warrant. Based on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.