v. & n.
v. (permitted, permitting) 1 tr. give permission or consent to; authorize (permit me to say). 2 a tr. allow; give an opportunity to (permit the traffic to flow again). b intr. give an opportunity (circumstances permitting). 3 intr. (foll. by of) admit; allow for.
n. 1 a a document giving permission to act in a specified way (was granted a work permit). b a document etc. which allows entry into a specified zone. 2 formal permission. permittee n. permitter n.
[ L permittere (as PER-, mittere miss- let go) ]