The Collaborative International Dictionary
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.]
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To consent to; to allow or suffer to be done; to tolerate; to put up with.
What things God doth neither command nor forbid . . . he permitteth with approbation either to be done or left undone.
--Hooker. -
To grant (one) express license or liberty to do an act; to authorize; to give leave; -- followed by an infinitive.
Thou art permitted to speak for thyself.
--Acis xxvi. 1. -
To give over; to resign; to leave; to commit.
Let us not aggravate our sorrows, But to the gods permit the event of things.
--Addison.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.
Wiktionary
vb. (present participle of permit English)
WordNet
n. a legal document giving official permission to do something [syn: license, licence]
the act of giving a formal (usually written) authorization [syn: license, permission]
large game fish; found in waters of the West Indies [syn: Trachinotus falcatus]
[also: permitting, permitted]
v. 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: allow, let, countenance] [ant: forbid, forbid]
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] [ant: prevent]
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, tolerate]
[also: permitting, permitted]
See permit
Usage examples of "permitting".
The golds always felt as if they were conferring great honor on a bronze by permitting them to mate.
She couldn't succumb to the desire for relief from the pain, though it was fierce now, fierce and inexorable, convulsing her body, seizing her with a steadily increasing rhythm, permitting her not so much as a moment to relax straining muscles.
Consequently the eight young men who came pounding up the gantry into Helva's hospitable lock were unusually fine-looking, intelligent, well coordinated and adjusted young men, looking forward to a slightly drunken evening, Helva permitting, and all quite willing to do each other dirt to get possession of her.
Actually her public mind was wide open to Daffyd's, permitting him a review of her initial impressions of the singer.
Trag and Olav took the lift down first, permitting Lars and Killashandra a few moments privacy.
They also protect it with a most incredible device, a Bubble, which surrounds the entire planet while still permitting the sun's rays to filter through even as it impedes the exit of the Eosi ship.
Just a few, and nothing fancy, though I did talk him into permitting one nice outfit for Gathers and performances.
R'gul followed a policy of keeping the Weyr to itself, rarely permitting dragonriders to attend any but Benden's or Nerat's Gathers.
Jaxom told of his and Menolly's safe return to Benden Weyr, remembered to mention his gratitude to Mnementh for permitting Ruth to eat.
He could just imagine T'ron permitting a journeyman, much less an apprentice lad, to ride his bronze.
Even if we had a law permitting outright nationalization, it would be much better to get them as a gift, We want to leave to people the illusion that they're still preserving their private property rights.
Mitchum would claim that the fatal order had been issued by and on the sole responsibility of Bill Brent, the chief dispatcher, it would not be much of a case, not a case that could bear close study, but it would be enough for the Unification Board, whose policy was consistent only in not permitting anything to be studied closely.
With the key placed under the bolt, and pressed upward, the movable pins are lifted over the bolt, permitting its movement.
There are individual signals and a master signal, permitting an individual slave to be immediately secured, no matter where he is in the Nest, or every slave in the Nest.
The tarn basket may or may not have guidance attachments, permitting the tarn to be controlled from the basket.