1.  agency(n = noun.group) authority, bureau, federal agency, government agency, office - an administrative unit of government; "the Central Intelligence Agency"; "the Census Bureau"; "Office of Management and Budget"; "Tennessee Valley Authority"
is a kind of administrative body, administrative unit
has particulars: executive agency, fda, food and drug administration, cdc, center for disease control and prevention, counterterrorist center, ctc, nonproliferation center, npc, bureau of the census, census bureau, national oceanic and atmospheric administration, noaa, national climatic data center, ncdc, national weather service, technology administration, national institute of standards and technology, nist, national technical information service, ntis, darpa, defense advanced research projects agency, department of defense laboratory system, lablink, department of energy intelligence, doei, phs, united states public health service, national institutes of health, nih, bja, bureau of justice assistance, bjs, bureau of justice statistics, immigration and naturalization service, ins, united states border patrol, us border patrol, bureau of diplomatic security, ds, foreign service, bureau of intelligence and research, inr, fws, united states fish and wildlife service, us fish and wildlife service, national park service, financial management service, office of intelligence support, ois, comptroller of the currency, bureau of customs, customs bureau, customs service, uscb, bureau of engraving and printing, internal revenue service, irs, faa, federal aviation agency, transportation security administration, tsa, gao, government accounting office, united states government accounting office, navy, united states navy, us navy, usn, u. s. coast guard, united states coast guard, us coast guard, naval air warfare center weapons division, nawcwpns, naval special warfare, nsw, naval surface warfare center, nswc, naval underwater warfare center, nuwc, office of naval intelligence, oni, marine corps intelligence activity, mcia, air force, u. s. air force, united states air force, us air force, usaf, afisr, air force intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance, air force isr, independent agency, advanced research and development activity, arda, defense logistics agency, defense reutilization and marketing service, drms, defense technical information center, dtic, law enforcement agency, occupational safety and health administration, osha, organ, patent and trademark office database, patent office, government printing office, gpo, united states government printing office, us government printing office, national guard bureau, ngb, army, u. s. army, united states army, us army, usa, ai, army intelligence, ballistic missile defense organization, bmdo, defense information systems agency, disa, national geospatial-intelligence agency, nga, casualty care research center, ccrc, federal housing administration, fha, local authority

2.  agency(n = noun.group) - a business that serves other businesses;
is a kind of business, business concern, business organisation, business organization, concern
has particulars: ad agency, advertising agency, credit bureau, detective agency, employment agency, employment office, commercial agency, mercantile agency, news agency, news organisation, news organization, press agency, press association, wire service, service agency, service bureau, service firm, travel agency, transfer agent

3.  agency(n = noun.state) - the state of being in action or exerting power; "the agency of providence"; "she has free agency"
is a kind of action, activeness, activity
has particulars: frankenstein
Derived forms noun agent₁, adjective agential₁

4.  agency(n = noun.state) delegacy, representation - the state of serving as an official and authorized delegate or agent;
is a kind of state
has particulars: free agency, legal representation, virus
Derived form noun agent₂

5.  agency(n = noun.act) means, way - how a result is obtained or an end is achieved; "a means of control"; "an example is the best agency of instruction"; "the true way to success"
is a kind of effectuation, implementation
has particulars: dint, escape, fast track, instrument, tool, road, stepping stone, expedient, desperate measure, open sesame, salvation, tooth, voice, wings
Derived form adjective agential₁

1.  The faculty of acting or of exerting power; the state of being in action; action; instrumentality. [1913 Webster]
"The superintendence and agency of Providence in the natural world." [1913 Webster]

2.  The office of an agent, or factor; the relation between a principal and his agent; business of one intrusted with the concerns of another. [1913 Webster]

3.  The place of business of am agent. [1913 Webster]

agency, n. (pl. -ies)
1 a the business or establishment of an agent (employment agency). b the function of an agent.
2 a active operation; action (free agency). b intervening action (fertilized by the agency of insects). c action personified (an invisible agency).
3 a specialized department of the United Nations.

Etymology:
med.L agentia f. L agere do

N  instrumentality, aid, subservience, subserviency, mediation, intervention, medium, intermedium, vehicle, hand, agency, minister, handmaid, midwife, accoucheur, accoucheuse, obstetrician, gobetween, cat's-paw, stepping-stone, opener, key, master key, passkey, latchkey, open sesame, passport, passe-partout, safe-conduct, password, instrument, expedient, means, instrumental, useful, ministerial, subservient, mediatorial, intermediate, intervening, conducive, through, by, per, whereby, thereby, hereby, by the agency of, by dint of, by virtue of, in virtue of, through the medium of, along with, on the shoulders of, by means of, by the aid of, with the aid of, per fas et nefas, by fair means or foul, somehow, somehow or other, by hook or by crook.

N  use, employ, employment, exercise, exercitation, application, appliance, adhibition, disposal, consumption, agency, usufruct, usefulness, benefit, recourse, resort, avail, utilization, service, wear, usage, in use, used, well-worn, well-trodden, useful, subservient.

N  action, performance, doing perpetration, exercise, excitation, movement, operation, evolution, work, labor, praxis, execution, procedure, handicraft, business, agency, deed, act, overt act, stitch, touch, gest transaction, job, doings, dealings, proceeding, measure, step, maneuver, bout, passage, move, stroke, blow, coup, coup de main, coup d'etat, tour de force, feat, exploit, achievement, handiwork, workmanship, manufacture, stroke of policy, actor, doing, acting, in action, in harness, on duty, in operation, in the act, in the midst of, in the thick of, red-handed, in flagrante delicto, while one's hand is in, action is eloquence, actions speak louder than words, actum aiunt ne agas, awake, arise, or be forever fall'n, dii pia facta vident, faire sans dire, fare fac, fronte capillata post est occasio calva, our deeds are sometimes better than our thoughts, the great end of life is not knowledge but action, thought is the soul of act, vivre-ce nest pas respirer c'est agir, we live in deeds not years.

N  direction, management, managery, government, gubernation, conduct, legislation, regulation, guidance, bossism, legislature, steerage, pilotage, reins, reins of government, helm, rudder, needle, compass, guiding star, load star, lode star, pole star, cynosure, supervision, superintendence, surveillance, oversight, eye of the master, control, charge, board of control, command, premiership, senatorship, director, chair, portfolio, statesmanship, statecraft, kingcraft, queencraft, ministry, ministration, administration, stewardship, proctorship, agency, director, directing, hegemonic, at the helm, at the head of, direction, bearing, course, vector, set, drift, tenor, tendency, incidence, bending, trending, dip, tack, aim, collimation, steering steerage, point of the compass, cardinal points, North East, South, West, N by E, ENE, NE by N, NE, rhumb, azimuth, line of collimation, line, path, road, range, quarter, line of march, alignment, allignment, air line, beeline, straight shoot, directed, directed towards, pointing towards, bound for, aligned, with alligned with, direct, straight, undeviating, unswerving, straightforward, North, Northern, Northerly, towards, on the road, on the high road to, en avant, versus, to, hither, thither, whither, directly, straight as an arrow, forwards as an arrow, point blank, in a bee line to, in a direct line to, as the crow flies, in a straight line to, in a bee line for, in a direct line for, in a straight line for, in a bee line with, in a direct line with, in a straight line with, in a line with, full tilt at, as the crow flies, before the wind, near the wind, close to the wind, against the wind, windwards, in the wind's eye, through, via, by way of, in all directions, in all manner of ways, quaquaversum, from the four winds, the shortest distance between two points is a stra.

N  commission, delegation, consignment, assignment, procuration, deputation, legation, mission, embassy, agency, agentship, power of attorney, clerkship, surrogacy, errand, charge, brevet, diploma, exequatur, permit, appointment, nomination, designation, return, charter, ordination, installation, inauguration, investiture, swearing-in, accession, coronation, enthronement, vicegerency, regency, regentship, viceroy, consignee, deputy, agent, delegate, consignee, commissioned, per procurationem.

N  agency, operation, force, working, strain, function, office, maintenance, exercise, work, swing, play, interworking, interaction, procurement, causation, instrumentality, influence, action, modus operandi, quickening power, maintaining power, sustaining power, home stroke, operative, efficient, efficacious, practical, effectual, at work, on foot, acting, in operation, in force, in action, in play, in exercise, acted upon, wrought upon, by the agency of through, by means of, I myself must mix with action lest I wither by des.

ad agency, advertising agency, agency security, causal agency, central intelligence agency, child welfare agency, commercial agency, defense advanced research projects agency, defense information systems agency, defense intelligence agency, defense logistics agency, detective agency, drug enforcement agency, employment agency, environmental protection agency, executive agency, federal agency, federal aviation agency, federal emergency management agency, free agency, government agency, independent agency, intelligence agency, international atomic energy agency, international intelligence agency, international law enforcement agency, law enforcement agency, mercantile agency, military intelligence agency, national geospatial-intelligence agency, national security agency, news agency, press agency, regulatory agency, russian agency, service agency, travel agency, un agency, united nations agency, united states intelligence agency