commission
the act of committing or entrusting a person, group, etc., with supervisory power or authority.
an authoritative order, charge, or direction.
authority granted for a particular action or function.
a document granting such authority.
a document conferring authority issued by the president of the U.S. to officers in the Army, Navy, and other military services, and by state governments to justices of the peace and others.
the power thus granted.
the position or rank of an officer in any of the armed forces.
a group of persons authoritatively charged with particular functions: a parks commission.
the condition of being placed under special authoritative responsibility or charge.
a task or matter committed to one's charge; official assignment: The architect received a commission to design an office building.
the act of committing or perpetrating a crime, error, etc.: The commission of a misdemeanor is punishable by law.
something that is committed: He was held accountable for his evil commissions.
authority to act as agent for another or others in commercial transactions.
a sum or percentage of what has been paid that is allowed to agents, sales representatives, etc., for their services: In addition to her salary, she will get a 20 percent commission for each sale she makes.
to give a commission to: to commission a new graduate of a military academy with the rank of lieutenant.
to authorize; send on a mission: I've been commissioned by my friend overseas to find him a cheap apartment in New York.
to give the order that places a warship, military command, etc., in a state of complete readiness for active duty.
to give a commission or order for: The owners commissioned a painting for the building's lobby.
Idioms about commission
in commission,
in service.
in operating order: A great deal of work will be necessary to put this car in commission again.
Also into commission. Navy. (of a ship) manned and in condition for or ordered to active service.
on commission, paid entirely or partially with commissions from sales one has made or for work one has done: The salespeople who are on commission earn 6 percent of the total amount they sell.
out of commission,
not in service: Telephone lines were out of commission for several days after the storm.
not in operating order: Sorry, but I can't bake cupcakes for you while the stove is out of commission.
Origin of commission
1Other words from commission
- com·mis·sion·a·ble, adjective
- com·mis·sion·al, adjective
- com·mis·sive, adjective
- com·mis·sive·ly, adverb
- in·ter·com·mis·sion, noun
- re·com·mis·sion, noun, verb (used with object)
- sub·com·mis·sion, noun
- un·com·mis·sioned, adjective
Words that may be confused with commission
- commission , omission
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use commission in a sentence
On Friday, the initial eight members selected at random to be part of the San Diego County Redistricting commission will meet and select the remaining six members of the commission.
Morning Report: Turning Border Sewage Into Local Water | Voice of San Diego | November 20, 2020 | Voice of San DiegoPelletier announced his resignation last week, citing a change of direction at the commission as his reason for leaving.
Maine Governor Won’t Fund Reforms for Public Defense Agency Without Accountability | by Samantha Hogan, The Maine Monitor | November 11, 2020 | ProPublicaThey’ll still have the governor’s mansion to push back on any GOP-led changes to the independent commission.
Where Democrats will be locked out of power in redistricting battles next year | Amber Phillips | November 11, 2020 | Washington PostAfter the commission ordered Google to cease its anticompetitive behavior, Google offered companies such as Foundem the chance to bid for ad space in the Google Shopping bar.
Europe fined Google nearly $10 billion for antitrust violations, but little has changed | Jeanne Whalen | November 10, 2020 | Washington PostVoters approved a constitutional amendment creating a bipartisan commission to draw congressional and legislative maps.
Election 2020: Winners and losers from Virginia, Maryland and D.C. | Robert McCartney | November 6, 2020 | Washington Post
Was it your wife Helena in the Keane painting you commissioned?
Tim Burton Talks ‘Big Eyes,’ His Taste For the Macabre, and the ‘Beetlejuice’ Sequel | Marlow Stern | December 17, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTFor Big Eyes, you commissioned a pair of songs by Lana Del Rey.
Tim Burton Talks ‘Big Eyes,’ His Taste For the Macabre, and the ‘Beetlejuice’ Sequel | Marlow Stern | December 17, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTTestino was commissioned to create a unique piece of work inspired by the six pillars that define The Macallan.
The Restaurant, Flask, And Photography Worthy of The Macallan Whisky | | December 16, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTI knew only that the hit was commissioned; the man who took the contract was a specialist.
Activist group Stop Street Harassment commissioned a national US study of 2,000 participants.
Ney was fortunate in that he had not to spend long years as a non-commissioned officer with no obvious future before him.
Napoleon's Marshals | R. P. Dunn-PattisonWith a part of the dollar given her by "the man from the Norf," she had commissioned Ted to buy her a ring in Jacksonville.
The Cromptons | Mary J. HolmesTim Biggs had been commissioned by Eloise to take her note to Mrs. Amy, together with the chairs.
The Cromptons | Mary J. HolmesCommissioned with the sale of Aigues, when General de Montcornet became wearied with developing his property.
Repertory Of The Comedie Humaine, Complete, A -- Z | Anatole Cerfberr and Jules Franois ChristopheHe was in friendly relations with Derville, the attorney, who commissioned him with a sort of half-pay for Colonel Chabert.
Repertory Of The Comedie Humaine, Complete, A -- Z | Anatole Cerfberr and Jules Franois Christophe
British Dictionary definitions for commission
/ (kəˈmɪʃən) /
a duty or task committed to a person or group to perform
authority to undertake or perform certain duties or functions
a document granting such authority
military
a document conferring a rank on an officer
the rank or authority thereby granted
a group of people charged with certain duties: a commission of inquiry
a government agency or board empowered to exercise administrative, judicial, or legislative authority: See also Royal Commission
the authority given to a person or organization to act as an agent to a principal in commercial transactions
the fee allotted to an agent for services rendered
the state of being charged with specific duties or responsibilities
the act of committing a sin, crime, etc
something, esp a sin, crime, etc, that is committed
good working condition or (esp of a ship) active service (esp in the phrases in or into commission, out of commission)
US the head of a department of municipal government
(tr) to grant authority to; charge with a duty or task
(tr) military to confer a rank on or authorize an action by
(tr) to equip and test (a ship) for active service
to make or become operative or operable: the plant is due to commission next year
(tr) to place an order for (something): to commission a portrait
Origin of commission
1Derived forms of commission
- commissional or commissionary, adjective
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Cultural definitions for commission
A fee paid to a broker or other financial agent for negotiating a sale. The fee is based on a percentage of the sale price.
The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Other Idioms and Phrases with commission
see in commission; on commission; out of commission.
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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