Dictionary

deputize en · VERB

Pronunciation

• /ˈdɛpjutaɪz/ (US)
• (Southern-England) audio
• /ˈdɛpjətaɪz/ (UK)

Etymology

Etymology tree English deputy Proto-Indo-European *-id- Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-idyéti Proto-Hellenic *-íd͏̌d͏̌ō Ancient Greek -ῐ́ζω (-ĭ́zō)bor. Late Latin -izōder. Middle French -iserbor. Middle English -isen English -ize English deputize From deputy + -ize.

Meanings

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
   • 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. 2014, Tony Proctor, Creative Problem Solving for Managers:
   • It is commonly used in the theatre where an understudy essentially deputizes for an indisposed actor. 2016, Ian Cunningham, The Handbook of Work Based Learning, page 111:
   • 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. 1929, Ford Maddox Ford, No Enemy:

Forms

Deriveds

deputizer · redeputize · undeputized

Translations (6)

de bevollmächtigen (to make (someone) a deputy) · tr atamak (to make (someone) a deputy) · de ernennen (to make (someone) a deputy) · de vertreten (to make/name as a substitute) · tr tayin etmek (to make (someone) a deputy) · tr vekâlet etmek (to make/name as a substitute)