1.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.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
1.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