The AI-powered English dictionary
plural authors
The originator or creator of a work, especially of a literary composition. quotations examples
Eternal King; thee, Author of all being.
1667, John Milton, “Book III”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], […]; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873,
During the whole time of his abode in the university he generally spent thirteen hours of the day in study; by which assiduity besides an exact dispatch of the whole course of philosophy, he read over in a manner all classic authors that are extant […]
1661, John Fell, The Life of the most learned, reverend and pious Dr. H. Hammond
The chief glory of every people arises from its authors.
1755, Samuel Johnson, A Dictionary of the English Language, Preface
Someone who writes books for a living. examples
(obsolete, criminal law) Principal; the primary participant in a crime. quotations
We hear […] of fratricidal murders, and stern reprisals on their authors.
1879, F. D. Morice, Pindar, chapter 10, page 158
Accomplices of a crime or an offence shall incur the same punishment as the authors of such a crime or offence, except when the law will have disposed otherwise.
1894, Franco-Siamese Mixed Court, The Case of Kieng Chek (Kham Muon) before the Franco-Siamese Mixed Court, Bangkok: n.p., page 4
(obsolete) One's authority for something: an informant. quotations
Let me inform you en passant, Ladies, that those Villains the Heathens, as my Authors tell me, (and I thought it wou'd[sic] not be amiss to communicate such a nice Observation to this House) used to call our Saviour Chrestus, and not Christus, by way of Contempt and Derision […]
1699, Seven new Colloquies translated out of Erasmus
third-person singular simple present authors, present participle authoring, simple past and past participle authored
(chiefly US, sometimes proscribed) To create a work as its author. examples