I. pə(r)ˈmit, usu -id.+V verb
( permitted ; permitted ; permitting ; permits )
Etymology: Latin permittere to let through, allow, permit, from per- through + mittere to let go, send — more at per- , smite
transitive verb
1. : to consent to expressly or formally : grant leave for or the privilege of : allow , tolerate
permit smoking
permit an appeal
permit access to records
2. : to give (a person) leave : authorize
obliged to permit others to use his patent — Tris Coffin
one must permit oneself … a certain margin of misstatement — B.N.Cardozo
permit me to offer my congratulations
3. archaic : to give over : commit
to the gods permit the event of things — Joseph Addison
4. : to make possible
building has been divided … to permit an unobstructed view — American Guide Series: Conn
intransitive verb
1. : to give an opportunity
if time permitted I could go on — H.G.Doyle
made himself as comfortable as the hard rock permitted — Fred Majdalany
2. : admit — usually used with of
the distance … was too great to permit of frequent social intercourse — Martha T. Stephenson
Synonyms: see let
II. ˈpərˌmit, ˈpə̄ˌm-, ˈpəiˌm-, _pə(r)ˈm-, usu -id.+V noun
( -s )
1. : a written warrant or license granted by one having authority
a building permit
a work permit
a fishing permit
2. : permission , allowance
had their permit to proceed
3. or permit indicia : postal indicia giving notice that postage has been paid under a special permit (as for bulk mailing)
III. noun
( -s )
Etymology: by folk etymology from Spanish palometa — more at palometa
1. : a large up to three feet long blue and silver pompano ( Trachinotus goodei ) found especially off the West Indies and Florida — called also great pompano
2. : round pompano