1. (n.) The act of establishing; a ratifying or ordaining; settlement; confirmation.

2. (n.) The state of being established, founded, and the like; fixed state.

3. (n.) That which is established; as: (a) A form of government, civil or ecclesiastical; especially, a system of religion maintained by the civil power; as, the Episcopal establishment of England. (b) A permanent civil, military, or commercial, force or organization. (c) The place in which one is permanently fixed for residence or business; residence, including grounds, furniture, equipage, etc.; with which one is fitted out; also, any office or place of business, with its fixtures; that which serves for the carrying on of a business; as, to keep up a large establishment; a manufacturing establishment.

John Bull Rasputin Svengali Uncle Sam VIP Washington Whitehall access bad influence baron big gun big man big name big wheel bigwig brass brass hat bureaucracy celebrity court dignitary dignity directorate elder eminence grise father figure five-percenter friend at court good influence gray eminence great man heavyweight hidden hand hierarchy higher echelons higher-ups important person influence influence peddler influencer ingroup interests key kingmaker lion lobby lobbyist lords of creation magnate man of influence man of mark management manipulator ministry mogul nabob name notability notable officialdom open sesame panjandrum person of renown personage personality pillar of society power power elite powers that be prelacy pressure group ruling circle ruling class ruling classes sachem sinister influence somebody something special interests special-interest group the Crown the Establishment the administration the authorities the government the great the ingroup the interests the people upstairs the power elite the power structure the top them they top brass top people tycoon very important person wheeler-dealer wire-puller worthy