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to name or assign to a position, an office, or the like; designate:
to appoint a new treasurer; to appoint a judge to the bench.
to determine by authority or agreement; fix; set:
to appoint a time for the meeting.
Law. to designate (a person) to take the benefit of an estate created by a deed or will.
to provide with what is necessary; equip; furnish:
They appointed the house with all the latest devices.
Archaic. to order or establish by decree or command; ordain; constitute:
laws appointed by God.
Obsolete. to point at by way of censure.
Obsolete. to ordain; resolve; determine.
Contemporary Examples

There will be no Oresident Romney to defund Planned Parenthood or appoint Supreme Court justices who would overturn Roe V. Wade.
Election 2012: Myths, Lies, and Losers Robert Shrum November 6, 2012

And that means Gov. Chris Christie will need to appoint a successor until a special election, likely to be held this November.
Keans & Co.: 5 Picks Chris Christie Could Make to Replace Frank Lautenberg John Avlon June 2, 2013

An obscure process of country, district, and state conventions exists to appoint these delegates to the national convention.
How Ron Paul’s Minions Plan to Hijack the GOP Convention Ryan Prior March 2, 2012

Herman Cain promised not to appoint any Muslims who want to kill Americans to his cabinet.
Has the GOP Lost Its Mind? Michelle Goldberg June 13, 2011

Franklin Roosevelt won congressional authority to appoint six assistants in 1939.
Restoring the Rule of Law to the White House Bruce Ackerman November 19, 2008

Historical Examples

I am also instructed to appoint an executive to fill your place during your absence.
Frank on the Lower Mississippi Harry Castlemon

How would it do to appoint you, sir, to give us a few lectures in Hygiene?
Ester Ried Yet Speaking Isabella Alden

Two years later the Archbishop became a cardinal, and was summoned to Rome, with liberty to appoint his successor in the see.
Legends & Romances of Spain Lewis Spence

It fell to young Ried to appoint the committee on decoration.
Ester Ried Yet Speaking Isabella Alden

Philip took oath not to appoint any Spaniards to Portuguese offices, and he kept his word to the end of his reign.
A History of Spain Charles E. Chapman

verb (mainly transitive)
(also intransitive) to assign officially, as for a position, responsibility, etc: he was appointed manager
to establish by agreement or decree; fix: a time was appointed for the duel
to prescribe or ordain: laws appointed by tribunal
(property law) to nominate (a person), under a power granted in a deed or will, to take an interest in property
to equip with necessary or usual features; furnish: a well-appointed hotel
v.

late 14c., “to decide, resolve; to arrange the time of (a meeting, etc.),” from Anglo-French appointer, Old French apointier “make ready, arrange, settle, place” (12c.), from apointer “duly, fitly,” from phrase à point “to the point,” from a- “to” (see ad-) + point “point,” from Latin punctum (see point (n.)). The ground sense is “to come to a point (about some matter),” therefore “agree, settle.” Meaning “put (someone) in charge” is early 15c. Related: Appointed; appointing.