Definitions HQ

Authority (n.) gives ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠the right to act, not a commission — and against the laws there can be no authority, even with the king's own writ in hand.

Authority (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠local: the lawmakers of England, France or Holland are, to an Indian, just men without authority like the rest of the world.

Authority (n.) can ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠outlive its occasion: a man who once got the upper hand keeps it, because the idea of distance clings to his person in the other's mind.

Authority (n.) to ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠be dictator of principles and teacher of unquestionable truths is no small power of one man over another, for he can make a man swallow as innate whatever serves the teacher's purpose.

Authority (n.) in ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠the common received opinions of friends, party, neighbourhood or country keeps more people in ignorance or error than all the other wrong measures together, and a man may more justifiably throw up cross and pile for his opinions.