[syn: approve, O.K., okay, sanction]
2. give authority or permission to;
3. give religious sanction to, such as through on oath;
- Example: "sanctify the marriage"
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Sanction \Sanc"tion\, n. [L. sanctio, from sancire, sanctum to
render sacred or inviolable, to fix unalterably: cf. F.
sanction. See Saint.]
1. Solemn or ceremonious ratification; an official act of a
superior by which he ratifies and gives validity to the
act of some other person or body; establishment or
furtherance of anything by giving authority to it;
confirmation; approbation.
[1913 Webster]
The strictest professors of reason have added the
sanction of their testimony. --I. Watts.
[1913 Webster]
2. Anything done or said to enforce the will, law, or
authority of another; as, legal sanctions.
[1913 Webster]
Syn: Ratification; authorization; authority; countenance;
support.
[1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Sanction \Sanc"tion\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Sanctioned; p. pr. &
vb. n. Sanctioning.]
To give sanction to; to ratify; to confirm; to approve.
[1913 Webster]
Would have counseled, or even sanctioned, such perilous
experiments. --De Quincey.
[1913 Webster]
Syn: To ratify; confirm; authorize; countenance.
[1913 Webster]
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
sanction
n 1: formal and explicit approval; "a Democrat usually gets the
union's endorsement" [syn: sanction, countenance,
endorsement, indorsement, warrant, imprimatur]
2: a mechanism of social control for enforcing a society's
standards
3: official permission or approval; "authority for the program
was renewed several times" [syn: authority,
authorization, authorisation, sanction]
4: the act of final authorization; "it had the sanction of the
church"
v 1: give sanction to; "I approve of his educational policies"
[syn: approve, O.K., okay, sanction] [ant:
disapprove, reject]
2: give authority or permission to
3: give religious sanction to, such as through on oath;
"sanctify the marriage"