n.
1.formal and explicit approval
2.a mechanism of social control for enforcing a society's standards
3.official permission or approval
4.the act of final authorization sanction v.
1.give sanction to
2.give authority or permission to
3.give religious sanction to, such as through on oath
Idiom of the Day
close the books (on someone or something)
to put an end to something (like closing the books in accounting records)
The city closed the books on the idea of building a new stadium.