deputize

English

Alternative forms

deputise (UK)

Etymology

From deputy +‎ -ize.

Pronunciation

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

Verb

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

(transitive) To officially empower, authorize, pronounce, and establish (someone) to be a deputy.
(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.
(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

Translations

to make (someone) a deputy

German: ernennen (de), bevollmächtigen (de)
Turkish: atamak (tr), tayin etmek (tr)

to make/name as a substitute

German: vertreten (de)
Turkish: vekâlet etmek (tr)