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warrant

 - 7 dictionary results

war⋅rant

[wawr-uhnt, wor-]
–noun
1. authorization, sanction, or justification.
2. something that serves to give reliable or formal assurance of something; guarantee, pledge, or security.
3. something considered as having the force of a guarantee or as being positive assurance of a thing: The cavalry and artillery were considered sure warrants of success.
4. a writing or document certifying or authorizing something, as a receipt, license, or commission.
5. Law. an instrument, issued by a magistrate, authorizing an officer to make an arrest, seize property, make a search, or carry a judgment into execution.
6. the certificate of authority or appointment issued to an officer of the armed forces below the rank of a commissioned officer.
7. a warehouse receipt.
8. a written authorization for the payment or receipt of money: a treasury warrant.
–verb (used with object)
9. to give authority to; authorize.
10. to give reason or sanction for; justify: The circumstances warrant such measures.
11. to give one's word for; vouch for (often used with a clause to emphasize something asserted): I'll warrant he did!
12. to give a formal assurance, or a guarantee or promise, to or for; guarantee: to warrant someone honorable treatment; to warrant payment; to warrant safe delivery.
13. to guarantee the quantity, quality, and other representations of (an article, product, etc.), as to a purchaser.
14. to guarantee or secure title to (the purchaser of goods); assure indemnification against loss to.
15. Law. to guarantee title of an estate or other granted property (to a grantee).

Origin:
1175–1225; (n.) ME warant < AF; OF guarant < Gmc; cf. MLG warend, -ent warranty, n. use of prp. of waren to warrant; (v.) ME < AF warantir; OF g(u)arantir, deriv. of guarant; see guaranty


war⋅rant⋅less, adjective


2. warranty, surety. 4. permit, voucher, writ, order, chit. 11. guarantee, attest.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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war·rant   (wôr'ənt, wŏr'-)   
n.  
  1. Authorization or certification; sanction, as given by a superior.

  2. Justification for an action or a belief; grounds: "He almost gives his failings as a warrant for his greatness" (Garry Wills).

  3. Something that provides assurance or confirmation; a guarantee or proof: a warrant of authenticity; a warrant for success.

  4. An order that serves as authorization, especially:

    1. A voucher authorizing payment or receipt of money.

    2. Law A judicial writ authorizing an officer to make a search, seizure, or arrest or to execute a judgment.

    3. A warrant officer.

    4. A certificate of appointment given to a warrant officer.

    1. A warrant officer.

    2. A certificate of appointment given to a warrant officer.

tr.v.   war·rant·ed, war·rant·ing, war·rants
  1. To guarantee or attest to the quality, accuracy, or condition of.

  2. To guarantee or attest to the character or reliability of; vouch for.

    1. To guarantee (a product).

    2. To guarantee (a purchaser) indemnification against damage or loss.

  3. To guarantee the immunity or security of.

  4. To provide adequate grounds for; justify. See Synonyms at justify.

  5. To grant authorization or sanction to (someone); authorize or empower.

  6. Law To guarantee clear title to (real property).


[Middle English warant, from Old North French, of Germanic origin; see wer-4 in Indo-European roots.]
war'rant·a·bil'i·ty, war'rant·a·ble·ness n., war'rant·a·ble adj., war'rant·a·bly adv., war'rant·less adj.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Financial Dictionary

Warrant

A derivative security that gives the holder the right to purchase securities (usually equity) from the issuer at a specific price within a certain time frame. Warrants are often included in a new debt issue as a "sweetener" to entice investors.

Investopedia Commentary

The main difference between warrants and call options is that warrants are issued and guaranteed by the company, whereas options are exchange instruments and are not issued by the company. Also, the lifetime of a warrant is often measured in years, while the lifetime of a typical option is measured in months.

Related Links

What Are Warrants?

See also: Call Option, Call Warrant, Convertible Bond, Cum Warrant, Diluted Earnings, Ex-Warrant, Put Warrant, Warrant Coverage, Warrant Premium, XW

Also spelled: warrents, warrent

Investopedia.com. Copyright © 1999-2005 - All rights reserved. Owned and Operated by Investopedia Inc.
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Financial Dictionary

warrant

A security that permits its owner to purchase a specific number of shares of stock at a predetermined price. For example, a warrant may give an investor the right to purchase 5 shares of XYZ common stock at a price of $25 per share until October 1, 2007. Warrants usually originate as part of a new bond issue, but they trade separately after issuance. Warrants usually have limited lives. Their values are considerably more volatile than the values of the underlying stock. Thus, investment in warrants is not for the timid. Also called equity warrant, stock warrant, subscription warrant. See also debt warrant, perpetual warrant, usable bond.

Wall Street Words: An A to Z Guide to Investment Terms by David L. Scott.
Copyright © 2003. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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Legal Dictionary

Main Entry: war·rant
Pronunciation: 'wor-&nt, 'wär-
Function: noun
Etymology: Anglo-French warant garant protector, guarantor, authority, authorization, of Germanic origin
1 : WARRANTY 2 warrant of fitness>
2 : a commission or document giving authority to do something: as a : an order from one person (as an official) to another to pay public funds to a designated person b : a writ issued esp. by a judicial official (as a magistrate) authorizing an officer (as a sheriff) to perform a specified act required for the administration of justice warrant of arrest> warrant of commitment>
administrative warrant
: a warrant (as for an administrative search) issued by a judge upon application of an administrative agency
anticipatory search warrant
: a search warrant that is issued on the basis of an affidavit showing probable cause that there will be certain evidence at a specific location at a future time called also anticipatory warrant
arrest warrant
: a warrant issued to a law enforcement officer ordering the officer to arrest and bring the person named in the warrant before the court or a magistrate
NOTE: A criminal arrest warrant must be issued based upon probable cause. Not all arrests require an arrest warrant.
bench warrant
: a warrant issued by a judge for the arrest of a person who is in contempt of court or indicted
death warrant
: a warrant issued to a warden or other prison official to carry out a sentence of death
dis·pos·ses·so·ry warrant
/"dis-p&-'ze-s&-rE-/
: a warrant issued to evict someone (as a lessee) from real property —used esp. in Georgia
distress warrant
: a warrant ordering the distress of property and specifying which items of property are to be distrained
extradition warrant
: a warrant for the extradition of a fugitive; specifically :
RENDITION WARRANT in this entry
fugitive warrant
: an arrest warrant issued in one jurisdiction for someone who is a fugitive from another jurisdiction called also fugitive from justice warrant
general warrant
: a warrant that is unconstitutional because it fails to state with sufficient particularity the place or person to be searched or things to be seized
no–knock search warrant
: a search warrant allowing law enforcement officers to enter premises without prior announcement in order to prevent destruction of evidence (as illegal drugs) or harm to the officers —compare EXIGENT CIRCUMSTANCES
rendition warrant
: a warrant issued by an official (as a governor) in one jurisdiction (as a state) for the extradition of a fugitive in that jurisdiction to another that is requesting the extradition
search warrant
: a warrant authorizing law enforcement officers to conduct a search of a place (as a house or vehicle) or person and usually also to seize evidence called also search and seizure warrant
NOTE: The Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution requires that a search warrant for a criminal investigation be issued only upon a showing of probable cause, as established usually by a sworn affidavit. The search warrant has to specify the premises and persons to be searched as well as what is being searched for. Not all searches require a search warrant. Warrantless searches are permitted when they are of a kind that the courts have found to be reasonable (as by being limited) or when they are prompted by a level of suspicion or belief (as reasonable suspicion or probable cause) that is consistent with the level of intrusion of the search. Some searches have been found to be so intrusive that a court hearing is required before the search is permitted.
3 a : a short-term obligation of a governmental body (as a municipality) issued in anticipation of revenue b : an instrument issued by a corporation giving to the holder the right to purchase the capital stock of the corporation at a stated price either prior to a stipulated date or at any future time warrant> —compare SUBSCRIPTIONwar·rant·less adjective

Main Entry: warrant
Function: transitive verb
Etymology: Anglo-French warentir garantir, from garant protector, guarantor
1 : to guarantee esp. by giving assurances that make one liable or responsible: as a : to give a warranty (as of title) to b : to protect or assure by warranty warranted goods> warrant his solvency —Restatement (Second) of Contracts> c : to state as a warranty : guarantee to be as represented warrants that the car is without defects> warranted “prior endorsements guaranteed” —J. J. White and Railroad S. Summers>
2 a : to authorize by a warrant warranted search> b : to serve as or give adequate reason or authorization for <warranted the awarding of attorney's fees> warranted by the facts>
3 : to give proof of the authenticity or truth of
warranted statement>
Idioms & Phrases

warrant

see sign one's own death warrant.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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