Make known to the authorities (5)
I believe the answer is:
state
'to the authorities' is the definition.
(state is a kind of authorities)
I don't understand the rest of the clue.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for state that I've seen before include "For example, New York or Washington but not Boston or Philadelphia" , "See 18" , "whole people" , "Condition - sovereign political power" , "E.g. Georgia" .)