Agent
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From the Oxford English Dictionary, online edition:
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“agent, n.1 and adj.”. OED Online. September 2014. Oxford University Press. http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/3859?rskey=yJEJHI&result=1&isAdvanced=false (accessed September 27, 2014).
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agent, n.1 and adj.
Pronunciation: Brit. /ˈeɪdʒ(ə)nt/ , U.S. /ˈeɪdʒ(ə)nt/
Forms: lME– agent, 15–16 agente, 16 agentt.
Etymology: < (i) Middle French agent (French agent ) (noun) person acting on behalf of another, representative, emissary (1332 in an isolated attestation, subsequently (apparently after Italian) from 1578), person who or thing which acts upon someone or something (c1370, originally and frequently in philosophical contexts), substance that brings about a chemical effect or causes a chemical reaction (1612 (in the passage translated in quot. 1624 at sense A. 4) or earlier; rare before early 19th cent.), person who intrigues (1640), (adjective) that acts, that exerts power (1337; c1450 in grammar; second half of the 15th cent. in cause agent (compare quot. 1535 at sense B.)),
and its etymon (ii) classical Latin agent-, agēns acting, active, (masculine noun) pleader, advocate, in post-classical Latin also representative, official (4th cent.), administrator of an estate, employee of a church (6th cent.), (neuter noun) (in philosophy) instrumentality, cause (from 8th cent. in British sources; also in continental sources), uses as adjective and noun of present participle of agere to act, do (see act v.).
With sense A. 1a and corresponding adjectival use compare earlier patient n. and patient adj.
Parallels in other European languages.
Compare Catalan agent, adjective and noun (14th cent.), Spanish agente (late 14th cent. as noun, early 15th cent. as adjective), Portuguese agente, adjective and noun (15th cent.), Italian agente (a1294 as adjective, a1328 as noun). Compare also Dutch agent (noun) official, representative (1570), German Agent (masculine noun) representative, emissary (1546), spy (18th cent., now the usual sense), Agens (neuter noun) person who or thing which acts upon someone or something (1598).
A. n.1
1.
a. A person who or thing which acts upon someone or something; one who or that which exerts power; the doer of an action. Sometimes contrasted with the patient (instrument, etc.) undergoing the action. Cf. actor n. 3a.
Earliest in Alchemy: a force capable of acting upon matter, an active principle. Now chiefly in philosophical and sociological contexts.
b. A person or thing that operates in a particular direction, or produces a specified effect; the cause of some process or change. Freq. with for, in, of.
Sometimes difficult to distinguish from the means or agency by which an effect is produced: cf. sense A. 3.
c. Grammar. The doer of an action, typically expressed as the subject of an active verb or in a by-phrase with a passive verb.
Cf. agent noun n. at Compounds 2.
d. Parapsychology. In telepathy: the person who originates an impression (opposed to the percipient who receives it).
2. A person acting on behalf of another.
a. A person who acts as a substitute for another; one who undertakes negotiations or transactions on behalf of a superior, employer, or principal; a deputy, steward, representative; (in early use) an ambassador, emissary. Also fig. Now chiefly in legal contexts.
In Sc. Law: a solicitor, advocate (now rare).
army, crown, land, parliamentary agent, etc.: see the first element.
b. In commercial use: a person or company that provides a particular service, typically one that involves arranging transactions between two other parties; (also) a person or company that represents an organization, esp. in a particular region; a business or sales representative. Cf. agency n. 1b.
Freq. with modifying word or phrase specifying the product or service.
advertising, employment, estate, insurance, letting, railroad, shipping, tourist, travel agent, etc.: see the first element.
c. N. Amer. An official appointed to represent the government in dealing with an American Indian people; = Indian agent n. at Indian adj. and n. Special uses 2a. Now hist.
d. A person who works secretly to obtain information for a government or other official body; a spy.
double, secret, treble agent, etc.: see the first element.
e. A person who negotiates and manages business, financial, publicity, or contractual matters for an actor, performer, writer, etc.
In earliest use: a theatrical agent. literary, press, publicity, sports agent, etc.: see the first element.
f. U.S. A stagecoach robber; = road agent n. at road n.Compounds 6. Now hist.
3. The means by which something is done; the material cause or instrument through which an effect is produced (often implying a rational employer or contriver).
Sometimes overlapping with sense A. 1b.
4. Chem. A substance that brings about a chemical or physical effect or causes a chemical reaction. In later use chiefly with preceding modifying word specifying the nature of the effect or reaction. Cf. reagent n. 2.
alkylating, oxidizing, reducing, wetting agent, etc.: see the first element.
5. Computing. A program that (autonomously) performs a task such as information retrieval or processing on behalf of a client or user. More fully software agent, user agent.
B. adj.
Acting, exerting power (sometimes contrasted with patient adj.2a).
† party agent n. Obs. Law the person or party bringing a suit.
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“agent, n.1 and adj.”. OED Online. September 2014. Oxford University Press. http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/3859?rskey=yJEJHI&result=1&isAdvanced=false (accessed September 27, 2014).
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