The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Permit \Per*mit"\, v. i.
   To grant permission; to allow.
   [1913 Webster]

The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Permit \Per"mit\, n.
   Warrant; license; leave; permission; specifically, a written
   license or permission given to a person or persons having
   authority; as, a permit to land goods subject to duty.
   [1913 Webster]

The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Permit \Per*mit"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Permitted; p. pr. & vb.
   n. Permitting.] [L. permittere, permissum, to let through,
   to allow, permit; per + mittere to let go, send. See Per-,
   and Mission.]
   1. To consent to; to allow or suffer to be done; to tolerate;
      to put up with.
      [1913 Webster]

            What things God doth neither command nor forbid . .
            . he permitteth with approbation either to be done
            or left undone.                       --Hooker.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. To grant (one) express license or liberty to do an act; to
      authorize; to give leave; -- followed by an infinitive.
      [1913 Webster]

            Thou art permitted to speak for thyself. --Acts
                                                  xxvi. 1.
      [1913 Webster]

   3. To give over; to resign; to leave; to commit.
      [1913 Webster]

            Let us not aggravate our sorrows,
            But to the gods permit the event of things.
                                                  --Addison.
      [1913 Webster]

   Syn: To allow; let; grant; admit; suffer; tolerate; endure;
        consent to.

   Usage: To Allow, Permit, Suffer, Tolerate. To allow
          is more positive, denoting (at least originally and
          etymologically) a decided assent, either directly or
          by implication. To permit is more negative, and
          imports only acquiescence or an abstinence from
          prevention. The distinction, however, is often
          disregarded by good writers. To suffer has a stronger
          passive or negative sense than to permit, sometimes
          implying against the will, sometimes mere
          indifference. To tolerate is to endure what is
          contrary to will or desire. To suffer and to tolerate
          are sometimes used without discrimination.
          [1913 Webster]

The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Permit \Per*mit"\, n. [Cf. Sp. palamida a kind of scombroid
   fish.]
   (a) A large pompano (Trachinotus goodei) of the West
       Indies, Florida, etc. It becomes about three feet long.
   (b) The round pompano. (Trachinotus falcatus). [Local, U.
       S.]
       [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

permit
    n 1: a legal document giving official permission to do something
         [syn: license, licence, permit]
    2: the act of giving a formal (usually written) authorization
       [syn: license, permission, permit]
    3: large game fish; found in waters of the West Indies [syn:
       permit, Trachinotus falcatus]
    v 1: consent to, give permission; "She permitted her son to
         visit her estranged husband"; "I won't let the police
         search her basement"; "I cannot allow you to see your exam"
         [syn: permit, allow, let, countenance] [ant:
         disallow, forbid, interdict, nix, prohibit,
         proscribe, veto]
    2: make it possible through a specific action or lack of action
       for something to happen; "This permits the water to rush in";
       "This sealed door won't allow the water come into the
       basement"; "This will permit the rain to run off" [syn:
       let, allow, permit] [ant: keep, prevent]
    3: allow the presence of or allow (an activity) without opposing
       or prohibiting; "We don't allow dogs here"; "Children are not
       permitted beyond this point"; "We cannot tolerate smoking in
       the hospital" [syn: allow, permit, tolerate]

Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0:

101 Moby Thesaurus words for "permit":
   OK, accede to, accept, accord, accord to, accredit, admit, affirm,
   agree to, allow, allowance, amen, approve, approve of, assent,
   authenticate, authority, authorization, authorize, autograph,
   be willing, brook, building permit, certify, condescend, confirm,
   connive at, consent, consent to, consent to silently, cosign,
   countenance, countersign, deign, dispense, empower, enable,
   endorse, enfranchise, fishing license, franchise, give consent,
   give leave, give permission, give the go-ahead,
   give the imprimatur, give the word, give thumbs up, go along with,
   grant, have, have no objection, hold with, hunting license,
   imprimatur, initial, leave, let, license, make possible,
   nihil obstat, nod, nod assent, not refuse, notarize, okay, pass,
   pass on, pass upon, passport, ratify, release, rubber stamp,
   sanction, say amen to, say aye, say the word, say yes, seal,
   second, sign, sign and seal, subscribe to, suffer, sufferance,
   support, swear and affirm, swear to, take kindly to, tolerate,
   undersign, underwrite, validate, visa, vise, vote affirmatively,
   vote aye, vouchsafe, warrant, wink at, yield assent



Bouvier's Law Dictionary, Revised 6th Ed (1856):

PERMIT. A license or warrant to do something not forbidden bylaw; as, to
land goods imported into the United States, after the duties have been paid
or secured to be paid. Act of Cong. of 2d March, 1799, s. 49, cl. 2. See
form of such a permit, Gord. Dig. Appendix, No. II. 46.