authority vs sanction

authority

noun
  • Official permission; authorisation to act in some capacity on behalf of a ruling entity. 

  • A reliable, definitive source of information on a subject. 

  • Persons, regarded collectively, who occupy official positions of power; police or law enforcement. 

  • A government-owned agency that runs a revenue-generating activity for public benefit. 

  • Status as a trustworthy source of information, reputation for mastery or expertise; or claim to such status or reputation. 

  • Power or right to make or enforce rules or give orders; or a position having such power or right. 

sanction

noun
  • An approval, by an authority, generally one that makes something valid. 

  • A penalty, punishment, or some coercive measure, intended to ensure compliance; especially one adopted by several nations, or by an international body. 

  • A law, treaty, or contract, or a clause within a law, treaty, or contract, specifying any of the above. 

verb
  • To penalize (a state etc.) with sanctions. 

  • To ratify; to make valid. 

  • To give official authorization or approval to; to countenance. 

How often have the words authority and sanction occurred in a corpus of books? (source: Google Ngram Viewer )