a. Worthy of being approved; meritorious. -- Ap*prov"a*ble*ness, n. [1913 Webster]

n. Approbation; sanction. [ 1913 Webster ]

A censor . . . without whose approval n&unr_; capital sentences are to be executed. Temple. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- See Approbation. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Approval. [ Archaic ] Thomson. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ OF. aprouer; a (L. ad) + a form apparently derived fr. the pro, prod, in L. prodest it is useful or profitable, properly the preposition pro for. Cf. Improve. ] (Eng. Law) To make profit of; to convert to one's own profit; -- said esp. of waste or common land appropriated by the lord of the manor. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Approved p. pr. & vb. n. Approving. ] [ OE. aproven, appreven, to prove, OF. aprover, F. approuver, to approve, fr. L. approbare; ad + probare to esteem as good, approve, prove. See Prove, and cf. Approbate. ] 1. To show to be real or true; to prove. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Wouldst thou approve thy constancy? Approve
First thy obedience. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To make proof of; to demonstrate; to prove or show practically. [ 1913 Webster ]

Opportunities to approve . . . worth. Emerson. [ 1913 Webster ]

He had approved himself a great warrior. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

'T is an old lesson; Time approves it true. Byron. [ 1913 Webster ]

His account . . . approves him a man of thought. Parkman. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To sanction officially; to ratify; to confirm; as, to approve the decision of a court-martial. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. To regard as good; to commend; to be pleased with; to think well of; as, we approve the measured of the administration. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. To make or show to be worthy of approbation or acceptance. [ 1913 Webster ]

The first care and concern must be to approve himself to God. Rogers. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ This word, when it signifies to be pleased with, to think favorably (of), is often followed by of. [ 1913 Webster ]

They had not approved of the deposition of James. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

They approved of the political institutions. W. Black. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. So as to secure approbation; in an approved manner. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Obs. ] 1. Approbation. [ 1913 Webster ]

I did nothing without your approvement. Hayward. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Eng. Law) a confession of guilt by a prisoner charged with treason or felony, together with an accusation of his accomplish and a giving evidence against them in order to obtain his own pardon. The term is no longer in use; it corresponded to what is now known as turning king's (or queen's) evidence in England, and state's evidence in the United States. Burrill. Bouvier. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Old Eng. Law) Improvement of common lands, by inclosing and converting them to the uses of husbandry for the advantage of the lord of the manor. Blackstone. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ See 2d Approve, v. t. ] (Eng. Law) A bailiff or steward; an agent. [ Obs. ] Jacobs. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. One who approves. Formerly, one who made proof or trial. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. An informer; an accuser. [ Obs. ] Chaucer. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Eng. Law) One who confesses a crime and accuses another. See 1st Approvement, 2. [ 1913 Webster ]