empower: Meaning and Definition of

em•pow•er

Pronunciation: (em-pou'ur), [key]
— v.t.
  1. to give power or authority to; authorize, esp. by legal or official means: I empowered my agent to make the deal for me. The local ordinance empowers the board of health to close unsanitary restaurants.
  2. to enable or permit: Wealth empowered him to live a comfortable life.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
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