[Origin: 1425–75; late ME < L permittere to let go through, give leave, equiv. to per-per-+ mittere to let or make (someone) go. See admit, commit, etc.]
To allow the doing of (something); consent to: permit the sale of alcoholic beverages.
To grant consent or leave to (someone); authorize: permitted him to explain.
To afford opportunity or possibility for: weather that permits sailing.
v.
intr.
To afford opportunity; allow: if circumstances permit.
n.
(pûr'mĭt, pər-mĭt')
Permission, especially in written form.
A document or certificate giving permission to do something; a license or warrant: a building permit.
[Middle English permitten, from Latin permittere : per-, through; see per- + mittere, to let go.]
per'mit·tee' (pûr'mĭ-tē') n., per·mit'ter n.
Usage Note: In the sense "to allow for, be consistent with," permit is often followed by the preposition of:The wording of the note permits of several interpretations. But of should not be used when the meaning of permit is "to give permission": The law permits (not permits of ) camping on the beach.
1489, from M.Fr. permetre, from L. permittere "give up, allow, allow to pass through," from per- "through" + mittere "let go, send." The noun is first recorded 1714.
a legal document giving official permission to do something [syn: license]
2.
the act of giving a formal (usually written) authorization [syn: license]
3.
large game fish; found in waters of the West Indies
verb
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" [ant: disallow]
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] [ant: keep]
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]
Al*low"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Allowed; p. pr. & vb. n. Allowing.] [OE. alouen, OF. alouer, aloer, aluer, F. allouer, fr. LL. allocare to admit as proved, to place, use; confused with OF. aloer, fr. L. allaudare to extol; ad + laudare to praise. See Local, and cf. Allocate, Laud.]1. To praise; to approve of; hence, to sanction. [Obs. or Archaic] Ye allow the deeds of your fathers. --Luke xi. 48. We commend his pains, condemn his pride, allow his life, approve his learning. --Fuller. 2. To like; to be suited or pleased with. [Obs.] How allow you the model of these clothes? --Massinger. 3. To sanction; to invest; to intrust. [Obs.] Thou shalt be . . . allowed with absolute power. --Shak. 4. To grant, give, admit, accord, afford, or yield; to let one have; as, to allow a servant his liberty; to allow a free passage; to allow one day for rest. He was allowed about three hundred pounds a year. --Macaulay. 5. To own or acknowledge; to accept as true; to concede; to accede to an opinion; as, to allow a right; to allow a claim; to allow the truth of a proposition. I allow, with Mrs. Grundy and most moralists, that Miss Newcome's conduct . . . was highly reprehensible. --Thackeray. 6. To grant (something) as a deduction or an addition; esp. to abate or deduct; as, to allow a sum for leakage. 7. To grant license to; to permit; to consent to; as, to allow a son to be absent. Syn: To allot; assign; bestow; concede; admit; permit; suffer; tolerate. See 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. (T. falcatus). [Local, U. S.]
Per*mis"sion\, n. [L. permissio: cf. F. permission. See Permit.] The act of permitting or allowing; formal consent; authorization; leave; license or liberty granted. High permission of all-ruling Heaven. --Milton. You have given me your permission for this address. --Dryden. Syn: Leave; liberty; license. Usage: Leave, Permission. Leave implies that the recipient may decide whether to use the license granted or not. Permission is the absence on the part of another of anything preventive, and in general, at least by implication, signifies approval.
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Audio Help [v. per-mit; n. pur-mit, per-mit] Pronunciation Key verb, -mit·ted, -mit·ting, noun 
