approve

English

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA: /əˈpɹuːv/, X-SAMPA: /@"pru:v/
• Rhymes: -uːv
• (US) IPA: /ʌˈpɹuv/, X-SAMPA: /V"pruv/

Etymology 1

Middle English aproven, appreven (“to prove”), Old French aprover (“to approve”), (French approuver), from Latin approbō, from ad + probō (“to esteem as good, approve, prove”). Compare prove, approbate.

Verb

approve (third-person singular simple present approves, present participle approving, simple past and past participle approved)

1. (transitive) To sanction officially; to ratify; to confirm.

   Although we may disagree with it, we must nevertheless approve the sentence handed down by the court-martial.

2. (transitive) To regard as good; to commend; to be pleased with; to think well of.

   We approve the measure of the administration, for it is an excellent decision.

3. (transitive) To make proof of; to demonstrate; to prove or show practically.
   • Ralph Waldo Emerson,

     Opportunities to approve . . . worth.

   • Thomas Babington Macaulay,

     He had approved himself a great warrior.

   • George Gordon Byron,

     'T is an old lesson; Time approves it true.

   • Francis Parkman,

     His account . . . approves him a man of thought.

4. (intransitive) To consider or show to be worthy of approbation or acceptance.
   • Henry Rogers,

     The first care and concern must be to approve himself to God.

   Note: This word, when it signifies to be pleased with, to think favorably (of), is often followed by of.

   • Thomas Babington Macaulay,

     They had not approved of the deposition of James.

   • William Black,

     They approved of the political institutions.

Derived terms

approval approvable I approve this message

approvably approbation

Translations

To make proof of; to demonstrate; to prove or show practically

• Bulgarian: доказвам (bg) (dokazvam)
• Dutch: goedkeuren (nl)

• Finnish: osoittaa, näyttää todeksi
• Italian: approvare (it)

To sanction officially; to ratify; to confirm; as, to approve the decision of a court-martial

• Bulgarian: утвърждавам (bg) (utvǎrždavam)
• Catalan: aprovar (ca)
• Czech: schválit (cs)
• Dutch: goedkeuren (nl)
• Finnish: hyväksyä, vahvistaa, antaa suostumus
• Greek: εγκρίνω (el) (enkrino)

• Italian: approvare (it)
• Russian: утверждать (ru) (utverždát’), одобрять (ru) (odobrját’)
• Spanish: aprobar (es), sancionar (es)
• Turkish: onaylamak (tr)
• Welsh: cymeradwyo (cy)

To regard as good; to commend; to be pleased with; to think well of

• Arabic: استحسن (ar) (istaHasana)
• Bulgarian: одобрявам (bg) (odobrjavam)
• Catalan: aprovar (ca)
• Czech: schvalovat (cs)
• Dutch: goedkeuren (nl)

• Finnish: hyväksyä (fi), suvaita (fi)
• Greek: εγκρίνω (el) (egkríno)
• Russian: одобрять (ru) (odobrját’)
• Swedish: godkänna (sv)
• Welsh: cymeradwyo (cy)

To make or show to be worthy of approbation or acceptance

• Arabic: وافق (ar) (waafaqa)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 贊成 (cmn), 赞成 (cmn) (zànchéng)

• Dutch: instemmen met (nl)
• French: approuver (fr)
• German: bewilligen (de)

• Greek: εγκρίνω (el) (egkríno)
• Japanese: 賛成する (ja) (さんせいする, sansei-surú)
• Jèrriais: approuver
• Latin: scisco (la)
• Polish: aprobować (pl)
• Russian: одобрять (ru) (odobrját’)
• Spanish: aprobar (es)

Etymology 2

Old French aprouer; a- + a form apparently derived from the pro, prod, in Latin prōsum (“be useful or profitable”). Compare with improve.

Verb

approve (third-person singular simple present approves, present participle approving, simple past and past participle approved)

1. (transitive, English Law) To make profit of; to convert to one's own profit;—said especially of waste or common land appropriated by the lord of the manor.

References

• approve in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913