the act of a recognized authority confirming or ratifying an action; authorized approval or permission
support; encouragement; approval
something that gives binding force to a law, or secures obedience to it, as the penalty for breaking it, or a reward for carrying it out
something, as a moral principle or influence, that makes a rule of conduct, a law, etc. binding
: often used in pl.
a coercive measure, as a blockade of shipping, usually taken by several nations together, for forcing a nation considered to have violated international law to end the violation
a coercive measure, as a boycott, taken by a group to enforce demands