Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense warrants, present participle warranting, past tense, past participle warranted
1. verb
If something warrants a particular action, it makes the action seem necessary or appropriate for the circumstances.
The allegations are serious enough to warrant an investigation. [VERB noun]
No matter was too small to warrant his attention. [VERB noun]
Synonyms: call for, demand, require, merit More Synonyms of warrant
warrantedadjective
Do you think this fear is warranted?
2. countable noun [oft byNOUN]
A warrant is a legal document that allows someone to do something, especially one that is signed by a judge or magistrate and gives the police permission to arrest someone or search their house.
Police confirmed that they had issued a warrant for his arrest. [+ for]
...a search warrant.
Equipment is allocated by warrant.
Synonyms: authorization, permit, licence, permission More Synonyms of warrant
3. uncountable noun [oft with brd-neg, usu Nfor n/-ing]
If you say that there is nowarrantfor something, you mean that there is no good reason to justify it.
[formal]
There is some warrant for holding back on full-scale aid.
Synonyms: justification, reason, grounds, defence More Synonyms of warrant
4. verb
If you warrantthat something is true or will happen, you say officially that it is true, or guarantee that it will happen.
[formal]
All entrants must warrant that their entry is entirely their own work. [VERB that]
The contract warrants that an experienced person is on board all the time. [VERB that]
5. See also death warrant
More Synonyms of warrant
warrant in British English
(ˈwɒrənt)
noun
1.
anything that gives authority for an action or decision; authorization; sanction
2.
a document that certifies or guarantees, such as a receipt for goods stored in a warehouse, a licence, or a commission
3. law
an authorization issued by a magistrate or other official allowing a constable or other officer to search or seize property, arrest a person, or perform some other specified act
4.
(in certain armed services) the official authority for the appointment of warrant officers
5.
a security that functions as a stock option by giving the owner the right to buy ordinary shares in a company at a specified date, often at a specified price
verb(transitive)
6.
to guarantee the quality, condition, etc, of (something)
7.
to give authority or power to
8.
to attest to or assure the character, worthiness, etc, of
9.
to guarantee (a purchaser of merchandise) against loss of, damage to, or misrepresentation concerning the merchandise
10. law
to guarantee (the title to an estate or other property)
11.
to declare boldly and confidently
Derived forms
warrantable (ˈwarrantable)
adjective
warrantability (ˌwarrantaˈbility) or warrantableness (ˈwarrantableness)
noun
warrantably (ˈwarrantably)
adverb
warranter (ˈwarranter)
noun
warrantless (ˈwarrantless)
adjective
Word origin
C13: from Anglo-French warrant, variant of Old French guarant, from guarantir to guarantee, of Germanic origin; compare guaranty
warrant in American English
(ˈwɔrənt; ˈwɑrənt)
noun
1.
a.
authorization or sanction, as by a superior or the law
b.
justification or reasonable grounds for some act, course, statement, or belief
2.
something that serves as an assurance, or guarantee, of some event or result
3.
a writing serving as authorization or certification for something
; specif.,
a.
authorization in writing for the payment or receipt of money
b.
a short-term note issued by a municipality or other governmental agency, usually in anticipation of tax revenues
c.
an option issued by a company granting the holder the right to buy certain securities, generally common stock, at a specified price and usually for a limited time
d. Law
a writ or order authorizing an officer to make an arrest, seizure, or search, or perform some other designated act
e. Military
the certificate of appointment to the grade of warrant officer
see also warrant officer
verb transitive
4.
a.
to give (someone) authorization or sanction to do something
b.
to authorize (the doing of something)
5.
to serve as justification or reasonable grounds for (an act, belief, etc.)
a remark that did not warrant such anger
6.
to give formal assurance, or guarantee, to (someone) or for (something)
; specif.,
a.
to guarantee the quality, quantity, condition, etc. of (goods) to the purchaser
b.
to guarantee to (the purchaser) that goods sold are as represented
c.
to guarantee to (the purchaser) the title of goods purchased; assure of indemnification against loss
d. Law
to guarantee the title of granted property to (the grantee)
7. Informal
to state with confidence; affirm emphatically
I warrant they'll be late
SIMILAR WORDS: asˈsert
Derived forms
warrantable (ˈwarrantable)
adjective
Word origin
ME warant < NormFr (OFr garant), a warrant < Frank *warand < prp. of *warjan; akin to OE werian, to guard, defend: see weir
More idioms containing
warrant
sign someone's or something's death warrant
Examples of 'warrant' in a sentence
warrant
Officers were accused of misleading a judge to gain search warrants.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The police issued arrest warrants for five others.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The police have now withdrawn an arrest warrant.
The Sun (2016)
She confirmed that an arrest warrant was issued and that the suspect had been detained.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
JPs grant search warrant next day.
The Sun (2016)
She added:'This is the context they are coming into and it warrants further investigation.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
But by the time British police got a European arrest warrant he had vanished again.
The Sun (2016)
In the detectives' determination to pursue what they clearly but wrongly thought were guilty men, they misled a judge to obtain search warrants.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Was his death warranted now when he must go and fight her people?
Kathleen E. Woodiwiss THE WOLF AND THE DOVE
When he applied to his superiors for a search warrant his request was turned down.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Surely there must be some price at which it pays to buy warrants.
Charles A. D'Ambrosio & Stewart D. Hodges & Richard Brealey & Stewart Myers Principles of Corporate Finance (1991)
Police have issued warrants against owners of the deserted cars.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
The warrant gives its owner the right to buy other company securities.
Charles A. D'Ambrosio & Stewart D. Hodges & Richard Brealey & Stewart Myers Principles of Corporate Finance (1991)
Two resources were invaluable to me in youth work and may warrant your special attention.
Christianity Today (2000)
Since then it has netted no fewer than ten royal warrants.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
The gang had claimed they were military officials with arrest warrants for city police.
The Sun (2012)
We reviewed it and felt it warranted further investigation.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
The former does not warrant further sanction.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
You will then be able to determine whether the situation warrants any further action.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
They spent three nights in custody after being detained on international arrest warrants.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
One she will feel is entirely warranted.
The Sun (2016)
But the rating agencies do change their minds when conditions warrant it.
Charles A. D'Ambrosio & Stewart D. Hodges & Richard Brealey & Stewart Myers Principles of Corporate Finance (1991)
To deny them an escape now is to sign their death warrant.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
But did his views warrant the prominence given in column space?
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
There was judicial involvement in the procedure for obtaining a warrant and the application had to be made by a senior officer.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
This is an abuse of process using the European arrest warrant for political rather than judicial reasons.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
If the shareholder inevitably wins, the warrant holder must inevitably lose.
Charles A. D'Ambrosio & Stewart D. Hodges & Richard Brealey & Stewart Myers Principles of Corporate Finance (1991)
So rather than buying a warrant, you might prefer to pick and choose your own stocks.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
A file could be read without a legal warrant.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
If breached, councils or the police would have to apply for a warrant to arrest instead of automatically having the power of arrest.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
In other languages
warrant
British English: warrant VERB
If something warrants a particular action, it makes the action seem necessary or appropriate for the circumstances.
The allegations are serious enough to warrant an investigation.
American English: warrant
Brazilian Portuguese: justificar
Chinese: 使…显得必要
European Spanish: merecer
French: justifier
German: rechtfertigen
Italian: giustificare
Japanese: 正当化する
Korean: 정당화하다
European Portuguese: justificar
Latin American Spanish: merecer
British English: warrant NOUN
A warrant is a legal document that allows someone to do something, especially one that is signed by a judge or magistrate and gives the police permission to arrest someone or search their house.
Police confirmed that they had issued a warrant for his arrest.
American English: warrant
Brazilian Portuguese: garantia
Chinese: 使…显得必要
European Spanish: orden de detención/registro
French: mandat
German: Haftbefehl
Italian: mandato
Japanese: 令状
Korean: 영장
European Portuguese: garantia
Latin American Spanish: orden de detención/registro
All related terms of 'warrant'
bench warrant
a warrant issued by a judge or court directing that an offender be apprehended
death warrant
A death warrant is an official document which orders that someone is to be executed as a punishment for a crime .
royal warrant
an authorization to a tradesman to supply goods to a royal household
stock warrant
A stock warrant is the right to buy stock at a particular price on a particular date directly from the issuing company.
warrant card
a police officer's proof of identity
warrant sale
a sale of someone's personal belongings or household effects that have been seized to meet unpaid debts
arrest warrant
a legal document giving permission to arrest someone
search warrant
A search warrant is a special document that gives the police permission to search a house or other building.
warrant officer
A warrant officer is a person in the army, the air force , or the marines who is above the rank of sergeant and below the rank of lieutenant . In the United States Navy , a warrant officer is above the rank of petty officer and below the rank of ensign .
extradition warrant
a warrant for somebody's extradition
Warrant of Fitness
a six-monthly certificate required for motor vehicles certifying mechanical soundness
chief warrant officer
a senior-ranking warrant officer in various armed forces
master warrant officer
a noncommissioned officer in the Canadian forces junior to a chief warrant officer
sign one's death warrant
to cause one's own destruction
sign one's own death warrant
A death warrant is an official document which orders that someone is to be executed as a punishment for a crime .
to sign one's own death warrant
If you say that someone is signing their own death warrant , you mean that they are behaving in a way which will cause their ruin or death.