Part 379

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., the formal act of taking command of a vessel for service, hoisting the flag, reading the orders, etc. -- To put a vessel out of commission (Naut.), to detach the officers and crew and retire it from active service, temporarily or permanently. -- To put the great seal, or the Treasury, into commission, to place it in the hands of a commissioner or commissioners during the abeyance of the ordinary administration, as between the going out of one lord keeper and the accession of another. [Eng.] -- The United States Christian Commission, an organization among the people of the North, during the Civil War, which afforded material comforts to the Union soldiers, and performed services of a religious character in the field and in hospitals. -- The United States Sanitary Commission, an organization formed by the people of the North to co÷perate with and supplement the medical department of the Union armies during the Civil War.

Syn. -- Charge; warrant; authority; mandate; office; trust; employment.

Com*mis"sion (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Commissioned (?); p. pr & vb. n. Commissioning.] 1. To give a commission to; to furnish with a commission; to empower or authorize; as, to commission persons to perform certain acts; to commission an officer.

2. To send out with a charge or commission.

A chosen band He first commissions to the Latian land. Dryden.

Syn. -- To appoint; depute; authorize; empower; delegate; constitute; ordain.

{ Com*mis"sion*al (?), Com*mis"sion*a*ry (?) } a. Of, pertaining to, or conferring, a commission; conferred by a commission or warrant. [R.]

Delegate or commissionary authority. Bp. Hall.

Com*mis"sion*ate (?), v. t. To commission [Obs.]

Com*mis"sion*er (?), n. 1. A person who has a commission or warrant to perform some office, or execute some business, for the government, corporation, or person employing him; as, a commissioner to take affidavits or to adjust claims.

To another address which requested that a commission might be sent to examine into the state of things in Ireland, William returned a gracious answer, and desired the Commons to name the commissioners. Macaulay.

2. An officer having charge of some department or bureau of the public service.

Herbert was first commissioner of the Admiralty. Macaulay.

The commissioner of patents, the commissioner of the land office, the commissioner of Indian affairs, are subordinates of the secretary of the interior. Bartlett.

Commissioner of deeds, an officer having authority to take affidavits, depositions, acknowledgment of deeds, etc., for use in the State by which he is appointed. [U. S.] -- County commissioners, certain administrative officers in some of the States, invested by local laws with various powers in reference to the roads, courthouses, financial matters, etc., of the county. [U. S.]

||Com*mis`sion*naire" (?; F. ?), n. [F., fr. L. commissio.] 1. An agent or factor; a commission merchant.

2. One of a class of attendants, in some European cities, who perform miscellaneous services for travelers.

Com*mis"sion*ship (?), n. The office of commissioner. Sir W. Scott.

Com*mis"sive (?), a. Relating to commission; of the nature of, or involving, commission. [R.]

Com*mis"su*ral (? or ?), a. Of or pertaining to a commissure.

Com*mis"sure (? or ?; 134-6), n. [L. commissura a joining together: cf. F. commissure. See Commit.] 1. A joint, seam, or closure; the place where two bodies, or parts of a body, meet and unite; an interstice, cleft, or juncture.

2. (Anat. & Zo÷l.) (a) The point of union between two parts, as the angles of the lips or eyelids, the mandibles of a bird, etc. (b) A collection of fibers connecting parts of the brain or spinal marrow; a chiasma.

3. (Bot.) The line of junction or cohering face of two carpels, as in the parsnip, caraway, etc.

Com*mit" (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Committed; p. pr. & vb. n. Committing.] [L. committere, commissum, to connect, commit; com- + mittere to send. See Mission.] 1. To give in trust; to put into charge or keeping; to intrust; to consign; -- used with to, unto.

Commit thy way unto the Lord. Ps. xxxvii. 5.

Bid him farewell, commit him to the grave. Shak.

2. To put in charge of a jailor; to imprison.