commission
Language: English
Part of speech: noun
Pronunciation: ipa: /kəˈmɪʃən/
rhymes: -ɪʃən
Forms: form: commissions
Etymology: From Middle English commissioun, from Old French commission, from Latin commissiō (“sending together; commission”), from prefix com- (“with”) + noun of action missiō (“sending”), from perfect passive participle missus (“sent”), from the verb mittō (“to send”) + noun of action suffix -iō.
Senses: glosses: A sending or mission (to do or accomplish something).
examples: text: David received his commission after graduating from West Point.
text: Let him see our commission.
ref: c. 1593 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedy of Richard the Third: […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene iv]:
text: This is an exact Inventory of what we found about the Body of the Man-Mountain, who uſed us with great Civility, and due Reſpect to your Majefty's Commiſſion.
ref: 1726 October 28, [Jonathan Swift], “The Emperor of Lilliput, Attended by Several of the Nobility, Come to See the Author in His Confinement. […]”, in Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World. […] [Gulliver’s Travels], volume I, London: […] Benj[amin] Motte, […], →OCLC, part I (A Voyage to Lilliput), page 43:
glosses: An official charge or authority to do something, often used of military officers.
examples: text: I have three commissions for the city.
glosses: The thing to be done as agent for another.
examples: text: the European Commission
text: the Electoral Commission
text: the Federal Communications Commission
text: The company's sexual harassment commission made sure that every employee completed the on-line course.
text: A commission was at once appointed to examine into the matter.
ref: 1855–1858, William H[ickling] Prescott, History of the Reign of Philip the Second, King of Spain, volume (please specify |volume=I to III), Boston, Mass.: Phillips, Sampson, and Company, →OCLC:
synonyms: committee
glosses: A body or group of people, officially tasked with carrying out a particular function.
examples: text: a reseller's commission
text: The real-estate broker charged a four percent commission for their knowledge on bidding for commercial properties; for their intellectual perspective on making a formal offer and the strategy to obtain a mutually satisfying deal with the seller in favour of the buyer.
text: [T]he scandal was the pretty common one of a corrupt agreement between hotel proprietors and a salesman who took and gave secret commissions, so that his business had a monopoly of all the drink sold in the place.
ref: 1935, G. K. Chesterton, The Scandal of Father Brown:
glosses: A fee charged by an agent or broker for carrying out a transaction.
examples: text: the commission, preparation or instigation of an act of terrorism
text: Every commission of sin introduces into the soul a certain degree of hardness.
ref: 1692–1717, Robert South, Twelve Sermons Preached upon Several Occasions, volume (please specify |volume=I to VI), London:
text: Two witnesses to the assault, both patrons of the bar at the time of the incident, were also subpoenaed, but they were requested to sign a waiver of immunity, which would allow their prosecution in the event that their testimony indicated their involvement in the commission of a crime.
ref: 1974 February 2, “Manslaughter Charged in 'Self-Defense' Slaying”, in Gay Community News, volume 1, number 32, page 3:
antonyms: omission
glosses: The act of committing (e.g. a crime or error).
Derived terms: anticommission
commission agent
commissional
commissionary
commission bid
commission breath
commission de bene esse
commissionee
commissioner
commissionless
commissionship
decommission
discommission
European Commission
Great Commission
housing commission
intercommission
liquor commission
noncommission
out of commission
override one's commission
royal commission
subcommission
trailing commission