approve

1. (transitive) To officially sanction; to ratify; to confirm; to set as satisfactory.Examples: "Although we may disagree with it, we must nevertheless approve the sentence handed down by the court-martial."; "It has jailed environmental activists and is planning to limit the power of judicial oversight by handing a state-approved body a monopoly over bringing environmental lawsuits."transitive

2. (transitive) To regard as good; to commend; to be pleased with; to think well of.Examples: "We approve the measure of the administration, for it is an excellent decision."transitive

3. (transitive, archaic) To make proof of; to demonstrate; to prove or show practically.Examples: "He had long burned with impatience to approve his valour."; "1812–1818, Lord Byron, Child Harolde's Piligrimage 'T is an old lesson; Time approves it true."; "Opportunities to approve[…]worth."archaictransitive

4. (intransitive, followed by "of") To consider worthy (to); to be pleased (with); to accept.Examples: "Her mother never approves of any of her boyfriends. She thinks nobody is good enough for her little girl."; "Their address was in the most dutiful manner, approving of what her majesty had done toward a peace, and dissolve her parliament"; "They had not approved of the deposition of James."Synonyms: cheerintransitive

5. (archaic, transitive, usually with a reflexive pronoun) To show to be worthy; to demonstrate the merits of.Examples: "The first care and concern must be to approve himself to God."archaictransitiveusually