Commission \Com*mis"sion\, n. [F., fr. L. commissio. See
Commit.]
1. The act of committing, doing, or performing; the act of
perpetrating.
Every commission of sin introduces into the soul a
certain degree of hardness. --South.
2. The act of intrusting; a charge; instructions as to how a
trust shall be executed.
3. The duty or employment intrusted to any person or persons;
a trust; a charge.
4. A formal written warrant or authority, granting certain
powers or privileges and authorizing or commanding the
performance of certain duties.
Let him see our commission. --Shak.
5. A certificate conferring military or naval rank and
authority; as, a colonel's commission.
6. A company of persons joined in the performance of some
duty or the execution of some trust; as, the interstate
commerce commission.
A commission was at once appointed to examine into
the matter. --Prescott.
7. (Com.)
(a) The acting under authority of, or on account of,
another.
(b) The thing to be done as agent for another; as, I have
three commissions for the city.
(c) The brokerage or allowance made to a factor or agent
for transacting business for another; as, a commission
of ten per cent on sales. See Del credere.
Commission of array. (Eng. Hist.) See under Array.
Commission of bankruptcy, a commission appointing and
empowering certain persons to examine into the facts
relative to an alleged bankruptcy, and to secure the
bankrupt's lands and effects for the creditors.
Commission of lunacy, a commission authorizing an inquiry
whether a person is a lunatic or not.
Commission merchant, one who buys or sells goods on
commission, as the agent of others, receiving a rate per
cent as his compensation.
Commission, or Commissioned, officer (Mil.), one who has
a commission, in distinction from a noncommissioned or
warrant officer.
Commission of the peace, a commission under the great seal,
constituting one or more persons justices of the peace.
[Eng.]
To put a vessel into commission (Naut.), to equip and man a
government vessel, and send it out on service after it has
been laid up; esp.,
Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
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