Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary · 1913

Commission

Commission , noun

[French, from Latin 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. — Shakespeare
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.
(a) (Commerce) The acting under authority of, or on account of, another.
(b)
(Commerce) The thing to be done as agent for another; as, I have three commissions for the city.
(c)
(Commerce) 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.
Collocations (13)
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 officer or Commissioned officer (Military) , 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. [English]
on commission , paid partly or completely by collecting as a commision a portion of the sales that one makes.
out of commission , not operating properly; out of order.
To put a vessel into commission (Nautical) , to equip and man a government vessel, and send it out on service after it has been laid up; esp., <-- to perform? PCP --> 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 (Nautical) , to detach the officers and crew and retire it from active service, temporarily or permanently.
To put the great seal into commission or To put 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. [English]
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 cooperate with and supplement the medical department of the Union armies during the Civil War.

Commission , transitive verb

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