agent

noun

1. : someone or something that acts or exerts power : a moving force in achieving some result

2. : a person guided or instigated by another in some action where the heads of departments are the political…agents of the executive, merely to execute the will of the president —Marbury v. Madison, 5 U.S. 137 (1803) — see also innocent agent

3. a : a person or entity (as an employee or independent contractor) authorized to act on behalf of and under the control of another in dealing with third parties — see also agency 2, fiduciary relationship, subagent — compare fiduciary, principal, servant

   — apparent agent
   : an agent acting under an agency by estoppel

   — bargaining agent
   : a labor union that represents the employees in a bargaining unit in negotiating with their employer through collective bargaining

   — business agent
   : an agent that handles business affairs for another person or organization; especially : a paid official of a union who carries on union business between the employees and the employer

   — collective bargaining agent
   : bargaining agent in this entry

   — del credere agent
   : an agent that guarantees to his or her principal that third parties involved in the transaction will pay or perform

   — enrolled agent
   : a person qualified through expertise and good reputation to represent taxpayers before the Internal Revenue Service

   — exclusive agent
   : an agent acting under an exclusive agency

   — general agent
   : an agent acting under a general agency

   — legislative agent
   : an agent (as for an interest group) that lobbies a legislature especially professionally

   — managing agent
   : an agent or employee of a corporation or other business entity who has a position that involves the use of judgment and discretion and who is considered under the law as capable of accepting service of process and answering questions under cross-examination on behalf of the business entity

   — ostensible agent
   : an agent acting under an agency by estoppel

   — special agent
   : an agent authorized to do one or more specific acts under particular instructions or within restrictions implied by the nature of the authorized acts : an agent acting under a special agency — compare general agent in this entry

   — transfer agent
   : an officer, bank, or trust company that acts on behalf of a publicly held corporation in handling the transfer of stock and other securities and keeping records of the owners

   — universal agent
   : an agent acting under a general agency

   b : an employee of a government agency usually that is involved in law enforcement

   c : a person or organization that finds buyers or tenants for real estate owners usually for a commission

   d : an independent sales or service representative of an insurance company — compare broker

4. a : a representative, emissary, or official of a government a diplomatic agent

   b : an employee of a government agency usually that is involved in law enforcement