The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Empower \Em*pow"er\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Empowered; p. pr. &
   vb. n. Empowering.]
   1. To give authority to; to delegate power to; to commission;
      to authorize (having commonly a legal force); as, the
      Supreme Court is empowered to try and decide cases, civil
      or criminal; the attorney is empowered to sign an
      acquittance, and discharge the debtor.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. To give moral or physical power, faculties, or abilities
      to. "These eyes . . . empowered to gaze." --Keble.
      [1913 Webster]

   3. to enable or permit; to give more opportunity for
      independent action.
      [PJC]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

empower
    v 1: give or delegate power or authority to; "She authorized her
         assistant to sign the papers" [syn: empower, authorise,
         authorize]
    2: give qualities or abilities to [syn: endow, indue,
       gift, empower, invest, endue]