deputize

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English

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Alternative forms

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Etymology

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From deputy +‎ -ize.

Pronunciation

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  • (UK) IPA(key): /ˈdɛpjətaɪz/
  • Audio (Southern England):(file)
  • (US) IPA(key): /ˈdɛpjutaɪz/
  • Hyphenation: de‧pu‧tize

Verb

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deputize (third-person singular simple present deputizes, present participle deputizing, simple past and past participle deputized)

  1. (transitive) To officially empower, authorize, pronounce, and establish (someone) to be a deputy.
  2. (transitive) to officially empower and authorize (someone) to act as a substitute in one's role or office
    I deputize you to act for me while I'm away.
  3. (intransitive) To act as a substitute for a person in their role or office
    • 1929, Ford Maddox Ford, No Enemy:
      Gringoire, on the other hand, stuck with equal firmness to the fact that he was deputizing for a brother officer who was sick — so sick that he had mislaid his orders.
    • 2014, Tony Proctor, Creative Problem Solving for Managers:
      What he wanted was someone who could really deputize for him when he was away on business – clearly not the job for a secretary but, because of years of experience and a willingness to take responsibility, one that the previous holder of the post had taken on.
    • 2016, Ian Cunningham, The Handbook of Work Based Learning, page 111:
      It is commonly used in the theatre where an understudy essentially deputizes for an indisposed actor.

Derived terms

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Translations

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