From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Permit \Per*mit"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Permitted}; p. pr. & vb.
n. {Permitting}.] [L. permittere, permissum, to let through,
to allow, permit; per + mittere to let go, send. See {Per-},
and {Mission}.]
1. To consent to; to allow or suffer to be done; to tolerate;
to put up with.
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What things God doth neither command nor forbid . .
. he permitteth with approbation either to be done
or left undone. --Hooker.
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2. To grant (one) express license or liberty to do an act; to
authorize; to give leave; -- followed by an infinitive.
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Thou art permitted to speak for thyself. --Acts
xxvi. 1.
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3. To give over; to resign; to leave; to commit.
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Let us not aggravate our sorrows,
But to the gods permit the event of things.
--Addison.
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Syn: To allow; let; grant; admit; suffer; tolerate; endure;
consent to.
Usage: To {Allow}, {Permit}, {Suffer}, {Tolerate}. To allow
is more positive, denoting (at least originally and
etymologically) a decided assent, either directly or
by implication. To permit is more negative, and
imports only acquiescence or an abstinence from
prevention. The distinction, however, is often
disregarded by good writers. To suffer has a stronger
passive or negative sense than to permit, sometimes
implying against the will, sometimes mere
indifference. To tolerate is to endure what is
contrary to will or desire. To suffer and to tolerate
are sometimes used without discrimination.
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