proxy

Universal Words noun (plural proxies) 1 [U] the authority that you give to sb to do sth for you, when you cannot do it yourself: You can vote either in person or by proxy. * a proxy vote 2 [C,U] ~ (for sb) a person who has been given the authority to represent sb else: Your proxy will need to sign the form on your behalf. * She is acting as proxy for her husband. * They were like proxy parents to me. 3 [C] ~ for sth (formal or technical) something that you use to represent sth else that you are trying to measure or calculate: The number of patients on a doctor's list was seen as a good proxy for assessing how hard they work.