Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's English Dictionary - sanction

(sanctions, sanctioning, sanctioned) Frequency: The word is one of the 1500 most common words in English. 1. If someone in authority sanctions an action or practice, they officially approve of it and allow it to be done. He may now be ready to sanction the use of force... VERB: V n • Sanction is also a noun. The king could not enact laws without the sanction of Parliament. = approval N-UNCOUNT: with supp 2. Sanctions are measures taken by countries to restrict trade and official contact with a country that has broken international law. The continued abuse of human rights has now led the United States to impose sanctions against the regime... N-PLURAL: oft N against/on n 3. A sanction is a severe course of action which is intended to make people obey instructions, customs, or laws. As an ultimate sanction, they can sell their shares. N-COUNT 4. If a country or an authority sanctions another country or a person for doing something, it declares that the country or person is guilty of doing it and imposes sanctions on them. ...their failure to sanction Japan for butchering whales in violation of international conservation treaties. VERB: V n