mandate Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun a document giving an official instruction or command
    authorisation; authorization.
  2. noun a territory surrendered by Turkey or Germany after World War I and put under the tutelage of some other European power until they are able to stand by themselves
    mandatory.
  3. noun the commission that is given to a government and its policies through an electoral victory
  4. verb assign under a mandate
    • mandate a colony
  5. verb make mandatory
    • the new director of the school board mandated regular tests
  6. verb assign authority to

WordNet

Man"date noun
Etymology
L. mandatum, fr. mandare to commit to one's charge, order, orig., to put into one's hand; manus hand + dare to give: cf. F. mandat. See Manual, Date a time, and cf. Commend, Maundy Thursday.
Definitions
  1. An official or authoritative command; an order or injunction; a commission; a judicial precept.
    This dream all-powerful Juno; I bear Her mighty mandates, and her words you hear. Dryden.
  2. (Canon Law) A rescript of the pope, commanding an ordinary collator to put the person therein named in possession of the first vacant benefice in his collation.
  3. (Scots Law) A contract by which one employs another to manage any business for him. By the Roman law, it must have been gratuitous. Erskine.

Webster 1913