Warrant: meaning, definitions and examples

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warrant

 

[ ˈwɒrənt ]

Noun / Verb
Context #1 | Noun

legal document

A legal document issued by a court authorizing the police to make an arrest, search premises, or carry out some other action relating to the administration of justice.

Synonyms

authorization, license, permit

Examples of usage

  • The police obtained a warrant to search the suspect's house.
  • The judge signed a warrant for the arrest of the criminal.
Context #2 | Verb

justify or necessitate

To justify or necessitate (a certain course of action).

Synonyms

deserve, justify, merit

Examples of usage

  • His rude behavior warrants an apology.
  • Her hard work warrants a promotion.

Translations

Translations of the word "warrant" in other languages:

🇵🇹 mandado

🇮🇳 वारंट

🇩🇪 Haftbefehl

🇮🇩 surat perintah

🇺🇦 ордер

🇵🇱 nakaz

🇯🇵 令状

🇫🇷 mandat

🇪🇸 orden

🇹🇷 tutuklama emri

🇰🇷 영장

🇸🇦 مذكرة

🇨🇿 příkaz

🇸🇰 príkaz

🇨🇳 逮捕令

🇸🇮 nalog

🇮🇸 heimild

🇰🇿 ордер

🇬🇪 საპატრულო

🇦🇿 order

🇲🇽 orden

Etymology

The word 'warrant' originated from the Old North French word 'warant', meaning 'protection, safeguard'. It entered Middle English in the 13th century with the sense of 'authorization, guarantee'. Over time, its legal connotations developed, leading to its current usage in law enforcement and justification contexts.

See also: unwarranted, unwarrantedly, warranted, warranty.

Word Frequency Rank

At position #2,910, this word belongs to solid intermediate vocabulary. It's frequently used in both casual and formal contexts and is worth learning for better fluency.