permit

UK: noun: /ˈpɜː^rmɪt/, verb: /pə^rˈmɪt/

US: /v. pɚˈmɪt; n. ˈpɝmɪt, pɚˈmɪt/

US: (v. pər mit′; n. pûr′mit, pər mit′; Fish pûr′mit)

Inflections of 'permit' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

permits

v 3rd person singular

permitting

v pres p

permitted

v past

permitted

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

per•mit¹ /v. pɚˈmɪt; n. ˈpɜrmɪt, pɚˈmɪt/   v., -mit•ted, -mit•ting, n. 
v. 

1. to allow to be done or occur;
   to allow to do: [~ + object]
   laws that permit the sale of drugs in some countries.
   [~ + oneself + object]
   She permitted herself a little smile.
   [~ + object + to + verb]
   Permit me to explain.
2. to tolerate;
   consent to:
   [~ + object] This law permits religious worship with drugs.
3. to provide opportunity (for), or admit (of): [~ + object]
   The power plant has vents to permit the escape of gases.
   [no object]
   I'll look this over when time permits.

n. [countable]

4. an official certificate of permission;
   license:
   a work permit.

See -mit-.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

per•mit¹  (v. pər mit′;n. pûr′mit, pər mit′), v., -mit•ted, -mit•ting, n. 
v.t. 

1. to allow to do something:
   Permit me to explain.
2. to allow to be done or occur:
   The law does not permit the sale of such drugs.
3. to tolerate;
   agree to:
   a law permitting Roman Catholicism in England.
4. to afford opportunity for, or admit of:
   vents to permit the escape of gases.

v.i. 

5. to grant permission;
   allow liberty to do something.
6. to afford opportunity or possibility:
   Write when time permits.
7. to allow or admit (usually fol. by of ):
   statements that permit of no denial.

n. 

8. an authoritative or official certificate of permission;
   license:
   a fishing permit.
9. a written order granting special permission to do something.
10. permission.

• Latin permittere to let go through, give leave, equivalent. to per- per- + mittere to let or make (someone) go. See admit, commit, etc.
• late Middle English 1425–75

per•mit′ted•ly, adv. 
per•mit•tee  (pûr′mi tē′), n.  per•mit′ter, n. 
Synonyms

• 1. See allow. 
• 8. franchise.

Antonyms

• 1. refuse.

per•mit²  (pûr′mit), n. 

1. a pompano, Trachinotus falcatus, of the waters off the West Indies.

• Spanish palometa palometa
• apparently by folk etymology, etymological 1880–85, American.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

permit verb / pəˈmɪt/ ( -mits, -mitting, -mitted)

1. (transitive) to grant permission to do something: you are permitted to smoke
2. (transitive) to consent to or tolerate: she will not permit him to come
3. when intr, often followed by of; when tr, often followed by an infinitive: to allow the possibility (of): the passage permits of two interpretations, his work permits him to relax nowadays

noun / ˈpɜːmɪt/

1. an official certificate or document granting authorization; licence
2. permission, esp written permission

Etymology: 15th Century: from Latin permittere, from per- through + mittere to send

perˈmitter noun