Devolution and Authority

noun

• The process of declining from a higher to a lower level of effective power or vitality or essential quality.
  • synonyms: degeneration
• The delegation of authority (especially from a central to a regional government. ).
  • synonyms: devolvement

• (n.) The act of rolling down.
• (n.) Transference from one person to another; a passing or devolving upon a successor.

DEVOLUTION is the delegation of authority from higher to lower levels.

noun

• The power or right to give orders or make decisions.
  • usage: "he has the authority to issue warrants"; "deputies are given authorization to make arrests"; "a place of potency in the state"
  • synonyms: authorization, authorisation, potency, dominance, say-so
• Usually plural) persons who exercise (administrative) control over others. (
  • usage: "the authorities have issued a curfew"
• An expert whose views are taken as definitive.
  • usage: "he is an authority on corporate law"
• Freedom from doubt; belief in yourself and your abilities.
  • usage: "his assurance in his superiority did not make him popular"; "after that failure he lost his confidence"; "she spoke with authority"
  • synonyms: assurance, self-assurance, confidence, self-confidence, sureness
• An administrative unit of government.
  • usage: "the Central Intelligence Agency"; "the Census Bureau"; "Office of Management and Budget"; "Tennessee Valley Authority"
  • synonyms: agency, federal agency, government agency, bureau, office
• Official permission or approval.
  • usage: "authority for the program was renewed several times"
  • synonyms: authorization, authorisation, sanction
• An authoritative written work.
  • usage: "this book is the final authority on the life of Milton"

• (n.) A book containing such a statement or opinion or the author of the book.
• (n.) Legal or rightful power; a right to command or to act; power exercised buy a person in virtue of his office or trust; dominion; jurisdiction; authorization; as, the authority of a prince over subjects, and of parents over children; the authority of a court.
• (n.) Testimony; witness.
• (n.) Justification; warrant.
• (n.) The power derived from opinion, respect or esteem; influence of character, office or station or mental or moral superiority, and the like; claim to be believed or obeyed; as, an historian of no authority; a magistrate of great authority.
• (n.) That which or one who, is claimed or appealed to in support of opinions, actions, measures, etc.
• (n.) A precedent; a decision of a court, an official declaration or an opinion, saying or statement worthy to be taken as a precedent.
• (n.) Government; the persons or the body exercising power or command; as, the local authorities of the States; the military authorities.

authority is a government or public agency created to perform a single function or a restricted group of related activities. Usually, such units are financed from service charges, fees, and tolls, but in some instances they also have taxing powers. An authority may be completely independent of or partially dependent upon other governments for its financing or the exercise of certain powers.