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to give or official power to; empower:
to authorize an employee to sign purchase orders.
to give for; formally sanction (an act or proceeding):
Congress authorized the new tax on tobacco.
to establish by or usage:
an arrangement long authorized by etiquette books.
to afford a ground for; warrant; justify.
Contemporary Examples

She voted to authorize the war, only later to say she believed that vote was made based on bad intelligence.
Hillary Clinton Pushed Obama to Keep Troops in Iraq Josh Rogin June 18, 2014

If you miss your session, you authorize the app to charge your credit card or PayPal account.
4 Science-Backed Ways to Motivate Yourself to Work Out DailyBurn September 12, 2014

Officials declined to speculate whether Congress would vote to authorize military action or not when it comes back to Washington.
Obama Might Still Attack Syria if Congress Votes No Josh Rogin August 30, 2013

Obama relied on the September 14 resolution, like Bush, to authorize drone strikes in Pakistan, Yemen, and Somalia.
Obama’s War in Iraq Marks the Return of the Global War on Terror Eli Lake August 17, 2014

In lobbying Congress to authorize a strike, Obama has only two arguments with political juice.
Iran, Assad, and Obama’s Quagmire Peter Beinart September 8, 2013

Historical Examples

They may authorize district councils to aid persons in maintaining rights of common.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 9, Slice 4 Various

I did not know of any experiments which might authorize a denial of it.
The Writings of Thomas Jefferson Thomas Jefferson

It was remonstrated that there were no laws to authorize the action of Von Roon; accordingly it was proposed to make such laws.
The War Upon Religion Rev. Francis A. Cunningham

I authorize you now to break all this to the family in any way you think best.
Little Dorrit Charles Dickens

In such circumstances would it not be reasonable that Florence should expect him to authorize her to break their engagement?
Mr. Scarborough’s Family Anthony Trollope

verb (transitive)
to confer authority upon (someone to do something); empower
to permit (someone to do or be something) with official sanction: a dealer authorized by a manufacturer to retail his products
v.

“give formal approval to,” late 14c., autorisen, from Old French autoriser “authorize, give authority to” (12c.), from Medieval Latin auctorizare, from auctor (see author (n.)). Modern spelling from 16c. Related: Authorized; authorizing.