n.
  - a threatened penalty for disobeying a law or rule. 
▸
(sanctions)
 measures taken by a state to coerce another to conform to an international agreement or norms of conduct.
 ▸Ethics  a consideration operating to enforce obedience to any rule of conduct.
 - official permission or approval for an action. 
▸official confirmation or ratification of a law.
 ▸Law,  historical a law or decree, especially an ecclesiastical one.
 
v.
  - give official sanction for.
 - impose a sanction or penalty on.
 
 
  Derivative
  
  Etymology
  ME: from Fr., from L. sanctio(n-), from sancire ‘ratify’.