Verb

(permitt)

* (Joseph Addison) (1672-1719)

Let us not aggravate our sorrows, / But to the gods permit the event of things.

To allow (something) to happen, to give permission for.

*

, title=(The Celebrity), chapter=4 , passage=Mr. Cooke at once began a tirade against the residents of Asquith for permitting a sandy and generally disgraceful condition of the roads. So roundly did he vituperate the inn management in particular, and with such a loud flow of words, that I trembled lest he should be heard on the veranda.}}

* 1930 , "Presbytarians", Time , 19 Dec 1930:

Last week the decision on two points was conclusive: the Presbyterian Church in the U. S. A. will not permit' ordination of women as ministers, but will ' permit their election as ruling elders, permission which makes possible a woman as moderator.

To allow (someone) to do something; to give permission to.

* 2009 , Patricia Cohen, New York Times , 17 Jan 09, p. 1:

He was ultimately cleared, but during that period, Mr. Ackman said, his lawyers would not permit him to defend himself publicly.

To allow for, to make something possible.

* 2006 , Mary Riddell, "Trident is a Weapon of Mass Destruction", The Observer , 3 Dec 06:

What was left to say? Quite a lot, if only parliamentary time permitted .

* 2009 , John Mitchell, "Clubs Preview", The Guardian , 25 Jul 09:

For snackage there's a 1950s-themed diner plus a barbie on the terrace, weather permitting .

To allow, to admit (of).

* 1910 , , "Reginald in Russia", Reginald in Russia :

‘You English are always so frivolous,’ said the Princess. ‘In Russia we have too many troubles to permit of our being light-hearted.’

* 2007 , Ian Jack, The Guardian , 22 Sep 07:

"As an instrument of economic policy, incantation does not permit of minor doubts or scruples."

(pronounced like noun) To grant formal authorization for (something).

(pronounced like noun) To attempt to obtain or succeed in obtaining formal authorization for (something).

Verb

(en-verb)

To lay or place; to put or adjust (one thing to another);—with to; as, to apply the hand to the breast; to apply medicaments to a diseased part of the body.

* {{quote-book

, author= , title=Translation of Virgil's Aeneid , passage=He said, and to the sword his throat applied . , year=1697}}

To put to use; to use or employ for a particular purpose, or in a particular case; to appropriate; to devote; as, to apply money to the payment of a debt.

To make use of, declare, or pronounce, as suitable, fitting, or relative; as, to apply the testimony to the case; to apply an epithet to a person.

* (rfdate) Milton,

Yet God at last To Satan, first in sin, his doom applied .

To fix closely; to engage and employ diligently, or with attention; to attach; to incline.

* 1611 , '', ''Proverbs 23:12,

Apply thine heart unto instruction, and thine ears to the words of knowledge.

To betake; to address; to refer; generally used reflexively.

* Alexander Pope

sacred vows applied to grisly Pluto

* (rfdate) Johnson

I applied myself to him for help.

To submit oneself as a candidate (with the adposition "to" designating the recipient of the submission, and the adposition "for" designating the position).

I recently applied to the tavern for a job as a bartender.

Most of the colleges she applied to were ones she thought she had a good chance of getting into.

Many of them don't know it, but almost a third of the inmates are eligible to apply for parole or work-release programs.

To pertain or be relevant to a specified individual or group.

That rule only applies to foreigners.

(obsolete) To busy; to keep at work; to ply.

* Sir Philip Sidney

She was skillful in applying his humours.

(obsolete) To visit.

* Chapman

His armour was so clear, / And he applied each place so fast, that like a lightning thrown / Out of the shield of Jupiter, in every eye he shone.

(Webster 1913)