agent

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a·gent

(ā′jənt)

1. One that acts or has the power or authority to act.

2. One empowered to act for or represent another: an author's agent; an insurance agent.

3. A means by which something is done or caused; an instrument.

4. A force or substance that causes a change: a chemical agent; an infectious agent.

5. A representative or official of a government or administrative department of a government: an FBI agent.

6. A spy.

7. Linguistics The argument that expresses the means or cause of an action or event described by a phrase or clause. The noun John is the agent in the clause John threw the ball.

v. a·gent·ed, a·gent·ing, a·gents

v.tr.

To act as an agent or representative for: Who will agent your next book?

v.intr.

To act as an agent or representative.

[Middle English, from Latin agēns, agent-, present participle of agere, to do; see ag- in Indo-European roots.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

agent

(ˈeɪdʒənt)

1. a person who acts on behalf of another person, group, business, government, etc; representative

2. a person or thing that acts or has the power to act

3. a phenomenon, substance, or organism that exerts some force or effect: a chemical agent.

4. the means by which something occurs or is achieved; instrument: wind is an agent of plant pollination.

5. (Commerce) a person representing a business concern, esp a travelling salesman

6. (Professions) Brit short for estate agent

7. (Military) short for secret agent

[C15: from Latin agent-, noun use of the present participle of agere to do]

agential adj

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

a•gent

(ˈeɪ dʒənt)

n.

1. a person or business authorized to act on another's behalf.

2. a person or thing that acts or has the power to act.

3. a natural force or object producing or used for obtaining specific results: Many insects are agents of fertilization.

4. an active cause; an efficient cause.

5. a person who works for or manages an agency.

6. a person who acts in an official capacity for a government agency, as a law-enforcement officer or a spy: an FBI agent.

7. a linguistic form or construction, usu. a noun or noun phrase, denoting an animate being that performs or causes the action expressed by the verb, as the police in The car was found by the police.

8. a representative of a business firm, esp. a traveling salesperson.

9. a substance that causes a chemical reaction. Compare reagent.

10. a drug or chemical capable of eliciting a biological response.

11. an organism that is a cause or vector of disease.

v.t.

12. to represent (a person or thing); act as an agent on: to agent a manuscript; Who agented that deal?

[1570–80; < Latin agent-, s. of agēns, present participle of agere to drive, do, act]

a·gent

(ā′jənt)

A substance that can cause a chemical reaction or a biological effect. Compare reagent.

The American Heritage® Student Science Dictionary, Second Edition. Copyright © 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

agent

In intelligence usage, one who is authorized or instructed to obtain or to assist in obtaining information for intelligence or counterintelligence purposes.

Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms. US Department of Defense 2005.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Switch to new thesaurus

Noun	1.	agent - an active and efficient cause; capable of producing a certain effect; "their research uncovered new disease agents" causal agency, causal agent, cause - any entity that produces an effect or is responsible for events or results pressor, vasoconstrictive, vasoconstrictor - any agent that causes a narrowing of an opening of a blood vessel: cold or stress or nicotine or epinephrine or norepinephrine or angiotensin or vasopressin or certain drugs; maintains or increases blood pressure biological agent, biohazard - any bacterium or virus or toxin that could be used in biological warfare eliminator - an agent that eliminates something impairer - an agent that impairs; "crops can be great impairers of the soil" infectious agent, infective agent - an agent capable of producing infection lethal agent - an agent capable of causing death motor - a nonspecific agent that imparts motion; "happiness is the aim of all men and the motor of all action" mutagen - any agent (physical or environmental) that can induce a genetic mutation or can increase the rate of mutation enlivener, invigorator, quickener - an agent that gives or restores life or vigor; "the soul is the quickener of the body" relaxer - any agent that produces relaxation; "music is a good relaxer" represser, repressor - an agent that represses retardant, retardent, retardation - any agent that retards or delays or hinders; "flame-retardant" satisfier - any agent capable of producing satisfaction shortener - any agent that shortens; "alcohol is a great shortener of life" stressor - any agent that causes stress to an organism teratogen - any agent that interferes with normal embryonic development: alcohol or thalidomide or X-rays or rubella are examples transmitter, vector - any agent (person or animal or microorganism) that carries and transmits a disease; "mosquitos are vectors of malaria and yellow fever"; "fleas are vectors of the plague"; "aphids are transmitters of plant diseases"; "when medical scientists talk about vectors they are usually talking about insects" weakener - that which weakens or causes a loss of strength; "doubt is a great weakener of resolve"
	2.	agent - a representative who acts on behalf of other persons or organizations business agent - an agent who handles business affairs for another; especially one who deals with employers literary agent - an agent who represents an author in dealings with publishers bailee - the agent to whom property involved in a bailment is delivered booker, booking agent - someone who engages a person or company for performances surrogate, deputy - a person appointed to represent or act on behalf of others employment agent - someone who runs an employment agency freight agent - an employee of a freight carrier who directs the receipt and delivery of goods government agent - a representative or official of a government or administrative department of a government handler - an agent who handles something or someone; "the senator's campaign handlers" mill agent - the responsible official at a mill that is under absentee ownership next friend - (law) a person who acts on behalf of an infant or disabled person parliamentary agent - a person who is employed to look after the affairs of businesses that are affected by legislation of the British Parliament placeholder, procurator, proxy - a person authorized to act for another purchasing agent - an agent who purchases goods or services for another representative - a person who represents others intelligence agent, intelligence officer, operative, secret agent - a person secretly employed in espionage for a government shipping agent - the agent of a shipowner shopper - a commercial agent who shops at the competitor's store in order to compare their prices and merchandise with those of the store that employs her special agent - someone whose authority is limited to the special undertaking they have been instructed to perform talent agent - an agent who represents performers general agent, universal agent - someone authorized to transact every kind of business for the principal
	3.	agent - a substance that exerts some force or effect causal agency, causal agent, cause - any entity that produces an effect or is responsible for events or results substance - a particular kind or species of matter with uniform properties; "shigella is one of the most toxic substances known to man" antiflatulent - any agent that reduces intestinal gas antifungal, antifungal agent, antimycotic, antimycotic agent, fungicide - any agent that destroys or prevents the growth of fungi antimicrobial, antimicrobic, disinfectant, germicide - an agent (as heat or radiation or a chemical) that destroys microorganisms that might carry disease drug - a substance that is used as a medicine or narcotic vermicide - an agent that kills worms (especially those in the intestines) alkaliser, alkalizer, antacid, antiacid, gastric antacid - an agent that counteracts or neutralizes acidity (especially in the stomach) bacteriostat - a chemical or biological material that inhibits bacterial growth blanching agent, bleaching agent, whitener, bleach - an agent that makes things white or colorless chemical agent - an agent that produces chemical reactions coagulant, coagulator - an agent that produces coagulation coolant - a fluid agent (gas or liquid) that produces cooling; especially one used to cool a system by transferring heat away from one part to another; "he added more coolant to the car's radiator"; "the atomic reactor used a gas coolant"; "lathe operators use an emulsion of oil and water as a coolant for the cutting tool" diluent, dilutant, thinner - a diluting agent emmenagogue - any agent that promotes menstrual discharge galactagogue - agent that induces milk secretion hypnagogue - an agent that induces drowsiness or sleep hypoglycaemic agent, hypoglycemic agent - any of various agents that decrease the level of glucose in the blood and are used in the treatment of diabetes mellitus inducer - an agent capable of activating specific genes lactifuge - any agent that reduces milk secretion (as given to a woman who is not breast feeding) lactogen - any agent that enhances milk production mitogen - an agent that triggers mitosis nerve agent, nerve gas - a toxic gas that is inhaled or absorbed through the skin and has harmful effects on the nervous and respiratory system precipitant - an agent that causes a precipitate to form solvating agent - an agent that converts something into a solvate viricide, virucide - an agent (physical or chemical) that inactivates or destroys viruses
	4.	agent - a businessman who buys or sells for another in exchange for a commission broker, factor brokerage, brokerage firm, securities firm - a stock broker's business; charges a fee to act as intermediary between buyer and seller auctioneer - an agent who conducts an auction bourgeois, businessperson - a capitalist who engages in industrial commercial enterprise insurance agent, insurance broker, underwriter, general agent - an agent who sells insurance investment banker, underwriter - a banker who deals chiefly in underwriting new securities estate agent, house agent, land agent, real estate agent, real estate broker - a person who is authorized to act as an agent for the sale of land; "in England they call a real estate agent a land agent" ship broker - an agent for the ship owner; obtains cargo and may arrange for its loading or discharge stockbroker - an agent in the buying and selling of stocks and bonds syndic - one appointed to represent a city or university or corporation in business transactions travel agent - someone who sells or arranges trips or tours for customers
	5.	agent - any agent or representative of a federal agency or bureau federal agent Indian agent - a representative of the federal government to American Indian tribes (especially on Indian reservations) functionary, official - a worker who holds or is invested with an office Fed, federal official, Federal - any federal law-enforcement officer trustbuster - a federal agent who engages in trust busting
	6.	agent - the semantic role of the animate entity that instigates or causes the happening denoted by the verb in the clause agentive role participant role, semantic role - (linguistics) the underlying relation that a constituent has with the main verb in a clause

agent

noun

1. representative, deputy, substitute, advocate, rep (informal), broker, delegate, factor, negotiator, envoy, trustee, proxy, surrogate, go-between, emissary You are buying direct, rather than through an agent.

2. spy, operative, mole, secret agent, double agent, secret service agent, undercover agent, foreign agent, fifth columnist, nark (Brit., Austral., & N.Z. slang) All these years he's been an agent for the East.

3. author, officer, worker, actor, vehicle, instrument, operator, performer, operative, catalyst, executor, doer, perpetuator They regard themselves as the agents of change in society.

4. force, means, power, cause, instrument the bleaching agent in white flour

5. bureau, business, office, department, agency, organization a travel agent

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

agent

noun

1. That by which something is accomplished or some end achieved:

agency, instrument, instrumentality, instrumentation, intermediary, mean (used in plural), mechanism, medium, organ.

2. A person who secretly observes others to obtain information:

operative, spy.

Informal: spook.

Idiom: secret agent.

Translations

وَكِيل عَامِل عَمِيل

агентин

agentčinitelprostředektajný agentzástupce

agentmiddelrepræsentantspion

Vertreter Agent Handelnde Mittel Agens

πράκτορας

agente apoderado

agenttiasiamiestaudinaiheuttajatoimijavaikuttaja

agent représentant instrument

agent

ügynökképviselő

njósnariorsakavaldur; virkt efniumboîsmaîur

agente agente segreto rappresentante

代理人

대리인

agentasagentūraatstovasdėkaįrankis

aģentslīdzeklispārstāvisspēks

agent vertegenwoordiger

agent middel representant spionagens

agent

agente

агент комиссионер посредник агенс

činidlo

agentpredstavnik

ombud

ตัวแทน

temsilcitemsilci acentavasıta araç casus

người trung gian

代理商发生作用的人或事特务

agent

[ˈeɪdʒənt] N

1. (for company, sports personality, actor) → agente mf, representante mf (Jur) → apoderado/a m/f (Pol) → delegado/a m/f; (undercover) → agente mf
his father acts as his agent → su padre actúa como su representante
see also free E
see also literary, sole ³

2. (US) (= station master) → jefe/a m/f de estación

3. (Chem) → agente m
chemical agent → agente m químico

4. (= catalyst) she has portrayed herself as an agent of change → se ha descrito a sí misma como agente or propulsora or motor del cambio

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

agent

[ˈeɪdʒənt] n

(= representative) → agent(e) m/f estate agent, travel agent

(for actor, writer, musician) → agent(e) m/f

(= spy) → agent(e) m/f

(= instrument) an agent of sth → un moteur de qch

(= chemical) → agent magent provocateur [ˌæʒɑ̃prəvɒkəˈtɜː^r] n → agent m provocateurage of consent n → âge m de consentement, âge m légal (des rapports sexuels)
to be under the age of consent → ne pas avoir l'âge de consentement
to be over the age of consent → avoir l'âge de consentementage-old [ˌeɪdʒˈəʊld] adj (= ancient) [story, tradition, problem] → ancestral(e)

agent

(Comm) (= person) → Vertreter(in) m(f); (= organization) → Vertretung f; who is the agent for this car in Scotland? → wer hat die schottische Vertretung für dieses Auto?

(= literary agent, press agent etc) → Agent(in) m(f); (Pol) → Wahlkampfleiter(in) m(f); business agent → Agent(in) m(f)

(= secret agent, FBI agent etc) → Agent(in) m(f); agent in charge (of an/the investigation) → Untersuchungsbeamte(r) m → /-beamtin f

(= person having power to act) man must be regarded as a moral agent → der Mensch muss als moralisch verantwortlich handelndes Wesen angesehen werden; determinism states that we are not free agents → der Determinismus behauptet, dass wir nicht frei entscheiden können; you’re a free agent, do what you want → du bist dein eigener Herr, tu was du willst

(= means by which sth is achieved) → Mittel nt; she became the unwitting agent of his wicked plot → unwissentlich wurde sie zum Werkzeug für seinen niederträchtigen Plan

(Chem) cleansing agent → Reinigungsmittel nt; special protective agent → Spezialschutzmittel nt

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

agent

[ˈeɪdʒ/ənt] n

a. (Comm, Police, Theatre) → agente m/f; (representative) → rappresentante m/f
to be sole agent for → avere la rappresentanza esclusiva per
agent's commission → provvigione f
he is not a free agent (fig) → non è padrone di fare quel che vuole

b. (Chem) → agente m

agent

(ˈeidʒənt) noun

1. a person or thing that acts. detergents and other cleaning agents.

2. a person who acts for someone in business etc. our agent in London; a theatrical agent.

3. (especially secret agent) a spy. an agent for the Russians.

ˈagency – plural ˈagencies – noun

the office or business of an agent. an advertising agency.

by/through the agency of

by the action of. The meeting was arranged through the agency of a friend.

agent

→ وَكِيل agent agent Vertreter πράκτορας agente agentti agent agent agente 代理人 대리인 agent agent agent agente агент ombud ตัวแทน temsilci người trung gian 代理商

a·gent

n. agente, factor.

agent

n agente m; Agent Orange agente naranja

References in periodicals archive ?

Union Square Advisors is a leading technology-focused investment bank that offers strategic mergers & acquisitions advice and execution, agented private capital financing, and debt capital markets advisory services.

Union Square Advisors appoints head of capital structure advisory business

1 December 2017 - US-based private investment firm Praesidian Capital agented a USD 12m mezzanine debt investment and a USD 0.3m equity co-investment to support the acquisition of US-based digital health platform Remedy Health Media by private equity fund Topspin Partners, the firm said.

Praesidian Capital Leads a USD 12.3m Investment in Digital Health Platform Remedy Health

It was never entirely clear to me whether that car was an apology, a thank you, or if my father had simply agented them with the same savvy he did everybody else.

TWO ANGLES ON MATTHEW SPECKTOR

For example, development of civil society, access and participation of local inhabitants during feasibility of the projects, demobilisation of agented people and development of ordinances for land and other natural resource planning and protection.

Land use conflicts in the developing countries: proximate driving forces and preventive measures

In Connolly's case, this takes the form of a political ontology that stresses the positivity and generative character of the social, alongside the agented capacity of non-human material forces, in contrast to the negative and linguistically based ontology of other radical democrats.

Lois McNay, The Misguided Search for the Political: Social Weightlessness in Radical Democratic Theory

For example, "women face a double disadvantage: if they display agency, they are penalized for gender non-conformity, and if they display communal attributes, they are judged as not agented enough" (Korabik, 1990).

Women in management: challenges and gaps in public institutions in Ethiopia

Simone said he estimated that about 40% of the agented market (which makes up 85% of the entire market) utilizes a limited distribution model, where the transaction is being shown to a subset of all potential buyers as opposed to fully distributed.

A private alternative: insurers are increasing investments in the private placement credit market, but the level of scrutiny involved often puts small insurers at a disadvantage

Women are socialized differently in the family to enact specific gender roles (i.e., more communal roles), while men turn to more agented roles during parent-child socialization, which influences the extent to which parents talk to their children about money and the expectations they have (Garrison and Gutter 2010; Gudmunson and Danes 2011; Kim et al.