permit
B2Neutral formal/informal
Definition
Meaning
To give official or formal consent for something to happen or exist.
A formal document granting official permission to do something; the act of allowing or consenting.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Stress changes between verb (perMIT) and noun (PERmit). The verb can indicate both active granting of permission and passive allowance of circumstances.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minimal. 'Permit' as a noun is more common in official/legal contexts in both varieties. Pronunciation differences primarily in vowel quality.
Connotations
Slightly more bureaucratic/official connotation in British English for the noun; American usage may be slightly more frequent in everyday contexts like 'parking permit'.
Frequency
Similar frequency in both varieties. The verb form is more common than the noun in general usage.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
permit someone to do somethingpermit somethingpermit of something (formal)permit doing somethingVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “permit of no delay”
- “weather permitting”
- “circumstances permitting”
- “time permitting”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Official authorisation required for regulated activities: 'The company secured an import permit for the machinery.'
Academic
Formal consent in research contexts: 'The ethics committee must permit the study before data collection begins.'
Everyday
General allowance: 'My parents don't permit me to stay out after midnight.'
Technical
Legal or regulatory authorisation: 'The zoning laws don't permit commercial construction in this area.'
Examples
By Part of Speech
noun
British English
- You'll need a parking permit to leave your car here overnight.
- The planning permit took three months to obtain.
American English
- I got a fishing permit at the visitor center.
- The construction permit must be displayed at the worksite.
verb
British English
- The council will not permit any new building in the conservation area.
- Smoking is not permitted anywhere on hospital grounds.
American English
- The state doesn't permit fireworks sales to minors.
- Your visa permits you to work for up to six months.
adverb
British English
- Not applicable - 'permit' has no adverbial form.
American English
- Not applicable - 'permit' has no adverbial form.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- My teacher permits us to use dictionaries during the test.
- You need a permit to park your car here.
- The new regulations permit companies to hire foreign workers more easily.
- He applied for a work permit so he could stay in the country longer.
- The contract expressly permits early termination under certain circumstances.
- Obtaining a building permit can be a lengthy bureaucratic process.
- The evidence doesn't permit us to draw any firm conclusions about causation.
- The treaty permits of multiple interpretations regarding territorial waters.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of PERMIT as PER-MISSION-IT: you give PERmission for IT to happen.
Conceptual Metaphor
PERMISSION IS A GATE/PASSAGE (allows entry/access), AUTHORITY IS A KEY (unlocks possibilities)
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid confusing with 'разрешать' (which is correct) and 'позволять' (more about capability). 'Permit' as noun = 'разрешение' (document), not 'пропуск' (pass). Don't use 'пермит' as direct transliteration.
Common Mistakes
- Incorrect stress: 'PERmit' for verb or 'perMIT' for noun. Using 'permit to' instead of 'permit someone to'. Confusing with 'admit' or 'submit'.
Practice
Quiz
Which sentence uses 'permit' correctly as a noun?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Permit' is more formal and often implies official or written authorisation, while 'allow' is more general and common in everyday speech.
As a verb: stress on second syllable (per-MIT). As a noun: stress on first syllable (PER-mit). This stress shift is crucial for correct pronunciation.
Yes, especially in formal contexts: 'Smoking does not permit here' or 'The rules permit of no exception' (though the latter is quite formal).
Primarily, but it can also refer to circumstances allowing something: 'Weather permitting, we'll have the picnic outdoors.' The noun almost always refers to formal documents.