The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Approbate \Ap"pro*bate\, a. [L. approbatus, p. p. of approbare
   to approve.]
   Approved. [Obs.] --Elyot.
   [1913 Webster]

The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Approbate \Ap"pro*bate\, v. t.
   To express approbation of; to approve; to sanction
   officially.
   [1913 Webster]

         I approbate the one, I reprobate the other. --Sir W.
                                                  Hamilton.
   [1913 Webster]

   Note: This word is obsolete in England, but is occasionally
         heard in the United States, chiefly in a technical
         sense for license; as, a person is approbated to
         preach; approbated to keep a public house. --Pickering
         (1816).
         [1913 Webster]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

approbate
    v 1: approve or sanction officially
    2: accept (documents) as valid [ant: reprobate]