The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 5 plus 3 plus 4 letter word CRACK THE WHIP
C
R
A
C
K
T
H
E
W
H
I
P
More clues leading to the result CRACK THE WHIP
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "assert one’s authority" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case assert one’s authority = crack the whip.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does CRACK THE WHIP mean?
CRACK THE WHIP noun- An outdoor children's game in which participants try to maintain hold of hands as random movements by the leader at the head of the line increase the force at the tail, as with the end of a whip.
- Any maneuver in a variety of disciplines that mimics the motion of the tail of a whip.