Adjacent Words

Administer definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

ADMIN'ISTER, v.t. [L. administro, of ad and ministro, to serve or manage. See Minister.]
1. To act as minister or chief agent, in managing public affairs, under laws or a constitution of government, as a king, president, or other supreme officer. it is used also of absolute monarchs, who rule not in subordination; but is more strictly applicable to limited monarchs and other supreme executive officers, and to governors, vice-roys, judges and the like, who are under the authority of laws. A king or a president administers the government or laws, when he executes them or carries them into effect. A judge administers the laws, when he applies them to particular cases or persons. In short, to administer is to direct the execution or application of laws.
2. To dispense, as to administer justice or the sacrament.
3. To afford, give or furnish; as, to administer relief, that is, to act as the agent. To administer medicine is to direct and cause it to be taken.
4. To give, as an oath; to cause to swear according to law.
ADMIN'ISTER, v.i.
1. To contribute; to bring aid or supplies; to add something; as, a shade administers to our comfort.
2. To perform the office of administrator; as, A administers upon the estate of B.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

v
1: work in an administrative capacity; supervise or be in charge of; "administer a program"; "she administers the funds" [syn: administer, administrate]
2: perform (a church sacrament) ritually; "administer the last unction"
3: administer or bestow, as in small portions; "administer critical remarks to everyone present"; "dole out some money"; "shell out pocket money for the children"; "deal a blow to someone"; "the machine dispenses soft drinks" [syn: distribute, administer, mete out, deal, parcel out, lot, dispense, shell out, deal out, dish out, allot, dole out]
4: give or apply (medications) [syn: administer, dispense]
5: direct the taking of; "administer an exam"; "administer an oath"

Merriam Webster's

verb (-istered; administering) Etymology: Middle English administren, from Anglo-French administrer, from Latin administrare, from ad- + ministrare to serve, from minister servant — more at minister Date: 14th century transitive verb 1. to manage or supervise the execution, use, or conduct of <administer a trust fund> 2. a. to mete out ; dispense <administer punishment> b. to give ritually <administer the last rites> c. to give remedially <administer a dose of medicine> intransitive verb 1. to perform the office of administrator 2. to furnish a benefit ; minister <administer to an ailing friend> 3. to manage affairs • administrable adjective • administrant noun

Oxford Reference Dictionary

v. 1 tr. attend to the running of (business affairs etc.); manage. 2 tr. a be responsible for the implementation of (the law, justice, punishment, etc.). b Eccl. give out, or perform the rites of (a sacrament). c (usu. foll. by to) direct the taking of (an oath). 3 tr. a provide, apply (a remedy). b give, deliver (a rebuke). 4 intr. act as administrator. Derivatives: administrable adj. Etymology: ME f. OF aministrer f. L administrare (as AD-, MINISTER)

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Administer Ad*min"is*ter, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Administered; p. pr. & vb. n. Administering.] [OE. aministren, OF. aministrer, F. administer, fr. L. administrare; ad + ministrare to serve. See Minister.] 1. To manage or conduct, as public affairs; to direct or superintend the execution, application, or conduct of; as, to administer the government or the state. For forms of government let fools contest: Whate'er is best administered is best. --Pope. 2. To dispense; to serve out; to supply; execute; as, to administer relief, to administer the sacrament. [Let zephyrs] administer their tepid, genial airs. --Philips. Justice was administered with an exactness and purity not before known. --Macaulay. 3. To apply, as medicine or a remedy; to give, as a dose or something beneficial or suitable. Extended to a blow, a reproof, etc. A noxious drug had been administered to him. --Macaulay. 4. To tender, as an oath. Swear . . . to keep the oath that we administer. --Shak. 5. (Law) To settle, as the estate of one who dies without a will, or whose will fails of an executor. Syn: To manage; conduct; minister; supply; dispense; give out; distribute; furnish.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Administer Ad*min"is*ter, v. i. 1. To contribute; to bring aid or supplies; to conduce; to minister. A fountain . . . administers to the pleasure as well as the plenty of the place. --Spectator. 2. (Law) To perform the office of administrator; to act officially; as, A administers upon the estate of B.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Administer Ad*min"is*ter, n. Administrator. [Obs.] --Bacon.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(administers, administering, administered) 1. If someone administers something such as a country, the law, or a test, they take responsibility for organizing and supervising it. The plan calls for the UN to administer the country until elections can be held... VERB: V n 2. If a doctor or a nurse administers a drug, they give it to a patient. (FORMAL) Paramedics are trained to administer certain drugs. VERB: V n, also V n to n

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

I. v. a. 1. Dispense, give, distribute, supply, contribute, deal out, give out, afford, furnish. 2. Direct, manage, conduct, control, superintend, preside over. 3. Tender, offer, proffer. II. v. n. 1. Contribute, conduce, be helpful. [With to.] 2. (Law.) Act as administrator. [With upon.]

Moby Thesaurus

abide by, accord, adhere to, administer justice, administrate, afford, allocate, allot, allow, apply, apportion, assign, award, be master, bestow, bestow on, captain, carry on, carry out, carry through, chair, chairman, command, communicate, complete, conduct, confer, consign, control, deal, deal out, deliver, direct, disburse, discharge, discipline, dish out, dispense, disperse, dispose, distribute, dole, dole out, donate, dose, dose with, effect, effectuate, enforce, enforce upon, execute, extend, fill out, force, force upon, fork out, fulfill, furnish, gift, gift with, give, give freely, give out, govern, grant, hand out, head, heap, help to, honor, impart, implement, inflict, issue, judge, lavish, lay on, lead, let have, make, make out, manage, measure out, mete, mete out, mete out to, observe, occupy the chair, offer, officer, officiate, oversee, parcel out, pass around, pay out, portion out, pour, prescribe for, present, preside, preside over, proffer, promulgate, prosecute, put in force, put on, put through, put upon, rain, ration, regulate, render, run, serve, share out, shell out, shower, sit in judgment, slip, snow, spoon out, stand over, strike, superintend, supervise, supply, tender, transact, vouchsafe, wield authority, yield