Permission or penalty (8 letters)

{ Answer }

SANCTION

{ Related Clues }

Approve
O.K.
Permit
Approve or penalize
Official permission

{ Tags }

approve, official, ok, penalize, penalty, permission, permit, sanction

{ Notes }

The answer SANCTION is rarely seen, appearing only about once every 2400 puzzles.

{ Definition }

SANCTION as a noun:

1. (sanction, countenance, endorsement, indorsement, warrant, imprimatur) = formal and explicit approval; "a Democrat usually gets the union's endorsement"

2. a mechanism of social control for enforcing a society's standards

3. (authority, authorization, authorisation, sanction) = official permission or approval; "authority for the program was renewed several times"

4. the act of final authorization; "it had the sanction of the church"

SANCTION as a verb:

1. (approve, O.K., okay, sanction) = give sanction to; "I approve of his educational policies"

2. give authority or permission to

3. give religious sanction to, such as through on oath; "sanctify the marriage"