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Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
auspices
noun
COLLOCATIONS FROM CORPUS
■ VERB
hold
▪ The militants say talks should be held under United Nations auspices in Geneva, on the basis of self-determination.
▪ Since parties held under the auspices of the Fourth of July will be ongoing all weekend, some careful planning is required.
EXAMPLES FROM CORPUS
▪ A fresh election was held on Jan 17, 1988, under the auspices of an army-appointed commission.
▪ In 1984, for example, an external mediator was appointed following the breakdown of negotiations, and agreement reached under his auspices.
▪ It proposed an international convention on air transport under the auspices of an international authority.
▪ Polybius travelled in Celtic lands under Roman auspices and with Roman help and protection.
The Collaborative International Dictionary
Auspices

Auspice \Aus"pice\, n.; pl. Auspices. [L. auspicium, fr. auspex: cf. F. auspice. See Auspicate, a.]

  1. A divining or taking of omens by observing birds; an omen as to an undertaking, drawn from birds; an augury; an omen or sign in general; an indication as to the future.

  2. Protection; patronage and care; guidance.

    Which by his auspice they will nobler make.
    --Dryden.

    Note: In this sense the word is generally plural, auspices; as, under the auspices of the king.

Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary
auspices

plural (and now the usual form) of auspice; 1530s, "observation of birds for the purpose of taking omens," from French auspice (14c.), from Latin auspicum "divination from the flight of birds; function of an auspex" (q.v.). Meaning "any indication of the future (especially favorable)" is from 1650s; earlier (1630s) in extended sense of "benevolent influence of greater power, influence exerted on behalf of someone or something," originally in expression under the auspices of.

Wiktionary
auspices

n. 1 (plural of auspice English) 2 protection or patronage.

WordNet
auspices

See auspex

auspices

n. kindly endorsement and guidance; "the tournament was held under the auspices of the city council" [syn: protection, aegis]

auspex
  1. n. (ancient Rome) a religious official who interpreted omens to guide public policy [syn: augur]

  2. [also: auspices (pl)]

Usage examples of "auspices".

Now as Romulus had acted under the sanction of the auspices, Attus Navius, a celebrated augur at that time, insisted that no change could be made, nothing new introduced, unless the birds gave a favourable omen.

The commanders were certainly at fault in having made themselves objects of detestation to the citizens, but otherwise the whole of the blame rested on the soldiers, who, to prevent anything from succeeding under the auspices and leadership of the decemvirs, disgraced both themselves and their generals by allowing themselves to be defeated.

There were some who interpreted the law as including even the consuls in its provisions, and the praetors, because they were elected under the same auspices as the consuls, for a consul was called a "judge.

He would not forebode disasters which neither Jupiter nor Mars their Father would permit to a City founded under those happy auspices.

He was advocating the breaking up of the houses, tampering with the auspices, both those of the State and those of individuals, so that nothing would be pure, nothing free from contamination, and in the effacing of all distinctions of rank, no one would know either himself or his kindred.

They said, "Because no plebeian could have the auspices, and the reason why the decemvirs had put an end to intermarriage was to prevent the auspices from being vitiated through the uncertainty of descent.

This bitterly exasperated the plebeians, for they believed that they were held incompetent to take the auspices because they were hateful to the immortal gods.

Curtius, who had presided over their election, had not rightly selected his position for taking the auspices.

But not only is the designation of spolia opima restricted to those which a commander-in-chief has taken from a commander-in-chief - and we know of no commander-in-chief but the one under whose auspices the war is conducted - but I and my authorities are also confuted by the actual inscription on the spoils, which states that Cossus took them when he was consul.

Quinctius, who had been successful against the Volscians under the auspices of the Dictator Postumius Tubertus, and at Fidenae as second in command under the other Dictator, Mam.

The auspices were taken before an election, and the gods deemed it an insult that the highest offices should be made common and the distinction of classes thrown into confusion.

There was only one possible mode of expiation, and that was that the consular tribunes should resign office, the auspices to be taken entirely afresh, and an interrex appointed.

After the Dictator had taken the auspices and issued orders for the soldiers to arm for battle, he uttered this prayer: "Pythian Apollo, guided and inspired by thy will I go forth to destroy the city of Veii, and a tenth part of its spoils I devote to thee.

The consuls were attacked by the epidemic, so it was decided that the auspices should be taken afresh by an interrex.

When the auspices were taken, the Hercynian forest was assigned to Segovesus.