WARRANT, v.t. [The primary sense of the root is to stop or hold, or to repel, and thus guard by resisting danger; as we say, to keep off. Hence the sense of security. See Guard and Garrison.]

1. An act, instrument or obligation, by which one person authorizes another to do something which he has not otherwise a right to do; an act or instrument investing one with a right or authority, and thus securing him from loss or damage; a word of general application.
2. A precept authorizing an officer to seize an offender and bring him to justice. A general warrant to seize suspected persons, is illegal.
3. Authority; power that authorizes or justifies any act. Those who preach the Gospel have the warrant of Scripture. We have the warrant of natural right to do what the laws do not forbid; but civility and propriety may sometimes render things improper, which natural right warrants.
4. A commission that gives authority, or that justifies.
5. A voucher; that which attests or proves.
6. Right; legality. There's warrant in that theft / Which steals itself when there's no mercy left. – Shak. [Obs.]
7. A writing which authorizes a person to receive money or other thing. Warrant of attorney, that by which a man appoints another to act in his name, and warrants his transaction. Land warrant, is an instrument or writing issued by the proper officer, authorizing a person to locate or take up a tract of new or uncultivated land. – United States. Search warrant, a precept authorizing a person to enter houses, shops, &c., to search for a criminal, or for stolen or smuggled goods. Warrant officer, an officer holding a warrant from the navy board, such as the master, surgeon, purser, &c. of a ship.

1. To authorize; to give authority or power to do or forbear any thing, by which the person authorized is secured or, saved harmless from any loss or damage by the act. A commission warrants an officer to seize an enemy. We are not warranted to resist legitimate government, except in extreme cases.
2. To maintain; to support by authority or proof. Reason warrants it, and we may safely receive it as true. – Anon.
3. To justify. True fortitude is seen in great exploits, / That justice warrants, and that wisdom guides. – Addison.
4. To secure; to exempt; to privilege. I'll warrant him from drowning. – Shak. In a place / Less warranted than this, or less secure, / I can not be. – Milton.
5. To declare with assurance. My neck is as smooth as silk, I warrant ye. – L'Estrange.
6. In law, to secure to a grantee an estate granted; to assure.
7. To secure to a purchaser of goods the title to the same; or to indemnify him against loss.
8. To secure to a purchaser the good quality of the goods sold. [See Warranty.]
9. To assure that a thing is what it appears to be, which implies a covenant to make good any defect or loss incurred by it.

1. That which warrants or authorizes; a commission giving authority, or justifying the doing of anything; an act, instrument, or obligation, by which one person authorizes another to do something which he has not otherwise a right to do; an act or instrument investing one with a right or authority, and thus securing him from loss or damage; commission; authority.
   
   
   Specifically: --

   (a)

2. To make secure; to give assurance against harm; to guarantee safety to; to give authority or power to do, or forbear to do, anything by which the person authorized is secured, or saved harmless, from any loss or damage by his action.
   
   

   That show I first my body to warrant. Chaucer.

   I'll warrant him from drowning. Shak.

   In a place
   Less warranted than this, or less secure,
   I can not be. Milton.

3. That which vouches or insures for anything] guaranty; security.
   
   

   I give thee warrant of thy place. Shak.

   His worth is warrant for his welcome hither. Shak.

4. To support by authority or proof; to justify; to maintain; to sanction; as, reason warrants it.
   
   

   True fortitude is seen in great exploits,
   That justice warrants, and that wisdom guides. Addison.

   How little while it is since he went forth out of his study, -- chewing a Hebrew text of Scripture in his mouth, I warrant. Hawthorne.

5. That which attests or proves; a voucher.
6. To give a warrant or warranty to; to assure as if by giving a warrant to.
   
   

   [My neck is] as smooth as silk, I warrant ye. L' Estrange.

7. Right; legality; allowance.
   
   
   [Obs.] Shak.

   Bench warrant. (Law) See in the Vocabulary. -- Dock warrant (Com.), a customhouse license or authority. -- General warrant. (Law) See under General. -- Land warrant. See under Land. -- Search warrant. (Law) See under Search, n. -- Warrant of attorney (Law), written authority given by one person to another empowering him to transact business for him; specifically, written authority given by a client to his attorney to appear for him in court, and to suffer judgment to pass against him by confession in favor of some specified person. Bouvier. -- Warrant officer, a noncommissioned officer, as a sergeant, corporal, bandmaster, etc., in the army, or a quartermaster, gunner, boatswain, etc., in the navy. -- Warrant to sue and defend. (a) (O. Eng. Law) A special warrant from the crown, authorizing a party to appoint an attorney to sue or defend for him. (b) A special authority given by a party to his attorney to commence a suit, or to appear and defend a suit in his behalf. This warrant is now disused. Burrill.

8. To secure to, as a grantee, an estate granted; to assure.
   
   
   (b)