warrant

noun

/ˈwɒrənt/

/ˈwɔːrənt/

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[countable] a legal document that is signed by a judge and gives the police authority to do something
- an arrest warrant
- warrant for something They issued a warrant for her arrest.
- warrant to do something They had a warrant to search the house.
see also death warrant, search warrant
Extra Examples
- In certain circumstances, police may enter premises without a warrant.
- The commissioner has issued a warrant for her arrest.
- The police served a warrant on him.
- Federal agents tried to serve arrest warrants on him for firearms offences.
- The police arrived with a warrant to search the house.
Topics Law and justicec1
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
adjective
- arrest
- death
- search
- …
verb + warrant
- authorize
- grant
- issue
- …
warrant + noun
- card
phrases
- without a warrant
- warrant for
See full entry
[countable] warrant (for something) a document that gives you the right to receive money, services, etc.
- the issue of warrants for equity shares
[uncountable] warrant (for something/for doing something) (formal) (usually in negative sentences) an acceptable reason for doing something
- There is no warrant for such criticism.

Word OriginMiddle English (in the senses ‘protector’ and ‘safeguard’, also, as a verb, ‘keep safe from danger’): from variants of Old French guarant (noun), guarantir (verb), of Germanic origin; compare with guarantee.

warrant

verb

/ˈwɒrənt/

/ˈwɔːrənt/

(formal)

Verb Forms

present simple I / you / we / they warrant	/ˈwɒrənt/ /ˈwɔːrənt/
he / she / it warrants	/ˈwɒrənts/ /ˈwɔːrənts/
past simple warranted	/ˈwɒrəntɪd/ /ˈwɔːrəntɪd/
past participle warranted	/ˈwɒrəntɪd/ /ˈwɔːrəntɪd/
-ing form warranting	/ˈwɒrəntɪŋ/ /ˈwɔːrəntɪŋ/

Idioms

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to make something necessary or appropriate in a particular situation synonym justify
- warrant something Further investigation is clearly warranted.
- The TV appearance was so brief that it hardly warranted comment.
- They do not consider the case serious enough to warrant a government enquiry.
- warrant (somebody/something) doing something The situation scarcely warrants their/them being dismissed.
see also unwarranted
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
adverb
- hardly
- certainly
- clearly
- …
verb + warrant
- be important enough to
- be serious enough to
- be severe enough to
- …
See full entry
Word OriginMiddle English (in the senses ‘protector’ and ‘safeguard’, also, as a verb, ‘keep safe from danger’): from variants of Old French guarant (noun), guarantir (verb), of Germanic origin; compare with guarantee.

Idioms

I/I’ll warrant (you)

(old-fashioned) used to tell somebody that you are sure of something and that they can be sure of it tooTopics Doubt, guessing and certaintyc2