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Webster 1913 Edition

Approve

Ap-prove′

,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Approved
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Approving
.]
[OE.
aproven
,
appreven
, to prove, OF.
aprover
, F.
approuver
, to approve, fr. L.
approbare
;
ad
+
probare
to esteem as good, approve, prove. See
Prove
, and cf.
Approbate
.]
1.
To show to be real or true; to prove.
[Obs.]
Wouldst thou
approve
thy constancy?
Approve

First thy obedience.
Milton.
2.
To make proof of; to demonstrate; to prove or show practically.
Opportunities to
approve
. . . worth.
Emerson.
He had
approved
himself a great warrior.
Macaulay.
’T is an old lesson; Time
approves
it true.
Byron.
His account . . .
approves
him a man of thought.
Parkman.
3.
To sanction officially; to ratify; to confirm;
as, to
approve
the decision of a court-martial
.
4.
To regard as good; to commend; to be pleased with; to think well of;
as, we
approve
the measured of the administration
.
5.
To make or show to be worthy of approbation or acceptance.
The first care and concern must be to
approve
himself to God.
Rogers.
☞ This word, when it signifies to be pleased with, to think favorably (of), is often followed by of.
They had not
approved of
the deposition of James.
Macaulay.
They
approved of
the political institutions.
W. Black.

Ap-prove′

(ăp-proōv′)
,
Verb.
T.
[OF.
aprouer
;
a
(L.
ad
) + a form apparently derived fr. the
pro
,
prod
, in L.
prodest
it is useful or profitable, properly the preposition
pro
for. Cf.
Improve
.]
(Eng. Law)
To make profit of; to convert to one's own profit; – said esp. of waste or common land appropriated by the lord of the manor.

Webster 1828 Edition

Approve

APPROVE'

,
Verb.
T.
[L. approbo; of ad and probo, to prove or approve. See Approbate, Prove and Proof.]
1.
To like; to be pleased with; to admit the propriety of; as, we approve the measures of administration. This word may include, with the assent of the mind to the propriety, a commendation to others.
2.
To prove; to show to be true; to justify.
Would'st thou approve thy constancy? Approve first thy wisdom.
[This sense, though common a century or two ago, is now rare.]
3.
To experience; to prove by trial. [Not used. See Prove.]
4.
To make or show to be worthy of approbation; to commend.
Jesus, a man approved of God. Acts 2.
This word seems to include the idea of Christ's real office as the Messiah, and of God's love and approbation of him in that character.
5.
To like and sustain as right; to commend.
Yet their posterity approve their sayings. Ps. 49.
This word, when it signifies to be pleased, is often followed by of, in which use, it is intransitive; as, I approve of the measure. But the tendency of modern usage is to omit of. 'I approve the measure.'
6.
To improve.

Definition 2024

approve

approve

English

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.
    • 2013 August 10, “Can China clean up fast enough?”, in The Economist, volume 408, number 8848:
      It has jailed environmental activists and is planning to limit the power of judicial oversight by handing a state-approved body a monopoly over bringing environmental lawsuits.
    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, archaic) To make proof of; to demonstrate; to prove or show practically.
  4. (intransitive) To consider or show to be worthy of approbation or acceptance.
    Note: This word, when it signifies to be pleased with, to think favorably (of), is often followed by of.
Derived terms
Translations

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

Etymology

From Middle English aproven, appreoven, appreven, apreven, from Old French aprover, approver, approuvir, appreuver ‎(“to approve”), from Latin approbō, from ad + probō ‎(“to esteem as good, approve, prove”). Compare prove, approbate.

Pronunciation

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