Warrant

Warrant, wor′ant, v.t. to guarantee or make secure: to give assurance against harm to: to authorise: to maintain: to assure.—n. that which warrants or authorises: a commission giving authority: a writ for arresting a person or for carrying a judgment into execution: security: in the army and navy, a writ or authority inferior to a commission: in coal-mining, under-clay.—n. Warr′andice (Scot.), warranty, a clause in a deed by which the grantor binds himself to make good to the grantee the right conveyed.—adj. Warr′antable, authorised by warrant or right: justifiable: of sufficient age to be hunted.—n. Warr′antableness.—adv. Warr′antably.—adj. Warr′anted.—ns. Warr′antee, one to whom warrant is given; Warr′anter, -or, one who warrants; Warr′anting; Warr′antise (Shak.), warrant, authority: promise; Warr′ant-off′icer, in the army and navy, an officer holding a warrant, being the highest rank open to seamen and ordinary soldiers under ordinary circumstances; Warr′anty, a legal warrant or deed of security: a guarantee: authority.—Warrant of arrest, attachment, a writ authorising the arrest of a person or the seizure of property.—Distress warrant, warrant authorising distraining of goods; General warrant, a warrant directed against suspected persons generally; General warranty, a warranty against the claims of all and every person; Justice's warrant, warrant of a justice of the peace to arrest a suspected criminal; Special warranty, warrant against the claims of a particular person. [O. Fr. warantir (Fr. garantir), perh. conn. with warir, to defend—Old High Ger. warjan, werjan.]