Both Uses of
warrant
in
Common Sense, by Thomas Paine
- The unwarrantable stretch likewise, which that house made in their last sitting, to gain an undue authority over the delegates of that province, ought to warn the people at large, how they trust power out of their own hands.†
Chpt 4.unwarrantable = not able to be promised or guaranteedstandard prefix: The prefix "un-" in unwarrantable means not and reverses the meaning of warrantable. This is the same pattern you see in words like unhappy, unknown, and unlucky.
- Besides, the taking up arms, merely to enforce the repeal of a pecuniary law, seems as unwarrantable by the divine law, and as repugnant to human feelings, as the taking up arms to enforce obedience thereto.†
Chpt Appe *
Definitions:
-
(1)
(warrant as in: has a warrant to...) a document (granting the right to do something)for example:
- a document signed by a judge giving police the right to search a home
- a document signed by a judge giving police the right to arrest someone
- a document giving someone the right to buy stock shares at a given price by a given date
- a voucher documenting the right to receive payment
-
(2)
(warrant as in: serious enough to warrant surgery) to justify (make an action reasonable or necessary)
-
(3)
(warrant as in: I warrant it) to promise, guarantee, or indicate certainty of something
- (4) (meaning too rare to warrant focus)