The Clue
Permission or penalty (8 letter answer)
The Answer
SANCTION
Tags
Notes
The answer SANCTION is rarely seen, appearing only about once every 2400 puzzles.
Related Clues
Approve
O.K.
Permit
Approve or penalize
Official permission
Definition
SANCTION as a noun:
1. (sanction, countenance, endorsement, indorsement, warrant, imprimatur) = formal and explicit approval; "a Democrat usually gets the union's endorsement"
2. a mechanism of social control for enforcing a society's standards
3. (authority, authorization, authorisation, sanction) = official permission or approval; "authority for the program was renewed several times"
4. the act of final authorization; "it had the sanction of the church"
SANCTION as a verb:
1. (approve, O.K., okay, sanction) = give sanction to; "I approve of his educational policies"
2. give authority or permission to
3. give religious sanction to, such as through on oath; "sanctify the marriage"