authori|tar|ian
/ɔːθɒ
r
I
teə
riən, [AM
] -θɔː
r-/ (authoritarians
) ADJ
[usu ADJ
n] If you describe a person or an organization as
authoritarian
, you are critical of them controlling everything rather than letting people decide things for themselves. [DISAPPROVAL
] □
authori|tari|an|ism /ɔːθɒ r I teə riən I zəm, [AM ] -θɔː r-/ N‑UNCOUNT Authoritarianism is the state of being authoritarian or the belief that people with power, especially the State, have the right to control other people's actions. [FORMAL ]
authori|ta|tive /ɔːθɒ r I tət I v, [AM ] əθɔː r I te I t I v/
1
ADJ
Someone or something that is
authoritative
gives an impression of power and importance and is likely to be obeyed. □
2
ADJ
Someone or something that is
authoritative
has a lot of knowledge of a particular subject. □
author|ity ◆◆◆ /ɔːθɒ r I ti, [AM ] -tɔː r-/ (authorities )
1
N‑PLURAL
The
authorities
are the people who have the power to make decisions and to make sure that laws are obeyed. □
2
N‑COUNT
[oft in names] An
authority
is an official organization or government department that has the power to make decisions. □
3 → see also local authority
4
N‑UNCOUNT
Authority
is the right to command and control other people. □
5
N‑UNCOUNT
If someone has
authority
, they have a quality which makes other people take notice of what they say. □
6
N‑UNCOUNT
Authority
is official permission to do something. □
7
N‑COUNT
Someone who is an
authority on
a particular subject knows a lot about it. □ [+
8
PHRASE
If you say you
have it on good authority
that
something is true, you mean that you believe it is true because you trust the person who told you about it. □
1
authority
2
4
7
1
the powers that be:
the state:
the system:
the Establishment:
government:
4
power: