different between approve vs acquiesce

English

Pronunciation

• (General American, Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /??p?u?v/
• Rhymes: -u?v

Etymology 1

From Middle English aproven, appreoven, appreven, apreven, borrowed from Old French aprover, approver, approuvir, appreuver (“to approve”), from Latin approb?, from ad + prob? (“to esteem as good, approve, prove”). Compare prove, approbate.

Verb

approve (third-person singular simple present approves, present participle approving, simple past and past participle approved)

1. (transitive) To officially sanction; to ratify; to confirm; to set as satisfactory.

2. (transitive) To regard as good or suitable; to commend; to be pleased with; to think well of.

3. (transitive, archaic) To make proof of; to demonstrate; to prove or show practically.
   • 1848, Thomas Babington Macaulay, The History of England from the Accession Of James II

     He had approved himself a great warrior.

   • 1844, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Essays: Second Series

     Opportunities to approve […] worth.

   • 1812-1818, Lord Byron, Child Harolde's Piligrimage

     'T is an old lesson; Time approves it true.

   • 1764, Horace Walpole, The Castle of Otranto, III:

     He had long burned with impatience to approve his valour.

4. (intransitive, followed by "of") To consider worthy (to); to be pleased (with); to accept.
   • 2016, Mitski, Your Best American Girl

     Your mother wouldn't approve of how my mother raised me. But I do, I think I do. And you're an all-American boy

   • 1995, The Verve, A Northern Soul

     Dad didn't approve of me, do you? I'm alive with something inside of me.

   • 1848, Thomas Babington Macaulay, The History of England from the Accession Of James II

     They had not approved of the deposition of James.

   • 1758, Jonathan Swift, The History of the Four Last Years of the Queen

     Their address was in the most dutiful manner, approving of what her majesty had done toward a peace, and dissolve her parliament

5. (archaic, transitive, usually with a reflexive pronoun) To show to be worthy; to demonstrate the merits of.
   • a. 1729, John Rogers, The Duty and Advantageous of Trust in God

     The first care and concern must be to approve himself to God.

Derived terms

Translations

Etymology 2

From Middle English approuen, approven, from Old French aprouer; a- + a form apparently derived from the pro, prod, in Latin pr?sum (“be useful or profitable”). Compare with improve.

Verb

approve (third-person singular simple present approves, present participle approving, simple past and past participle approved)

1. (transitive, law, English law) To make profit of; to convert to one's own profit — said especially of waste or common land appropriated by the lord of the manor.

References

• approve in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.

English

Etymology

Borrowed from Middle French acquiescer, from Latin acquiescere; ad + quiescere (“to be quiet”), from quies (“rest”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?ækwi??s/

Verb

acquiesce (third-person singular simple present acquiesces, present participle acquiescing, simple past and past participle acquiesced)

1. (intransitive, with in (or sometimes with, to)) To rest satisfied, or apparently satisfied, or to rest without opposition and discontent (usually implying previous opposition or discontent); to accept or consent by silence or by omitting to object.
   • 1799, Thomas Jefferson, The Kentucky Resolution of 1799

     The representatives of the good people of this commonwealth in general assembly convened, having maturely considered the answers of sundry states in the Union, to their resolutions passed at the last session, respecting certain unconstitutional laws of Congress, commonly called the alien and sedition laws, would be faithless indeed to themselves, and to those they represent, were they silently to acquiesce in principles and doctrines attempted to be maintained in all those answers, that of Virginia only excepted.

   • 1846, Thomas De Quincey, On Christianity, as an Organ of Political Movement (published in Tait's Magazine)

     They were compelled to acquiesce in a government which they did not regard as just.

   • Cathy was a powerful ally at home; and between them they at length persuaded my master to acquiesce in their having a ride or a walk together about once a week, under my guardianship, and on the moors nearest the Grange: for June found him still declining.

   • 1861, Abraham Lincoln, First Inaugural Address (4 March)

     If a minority, in such case, will secede rather than acquiesce, they make a precedent which, in turn, will divide and ruin them; for a minority of their own will secede from them whenever a majority refuses to be controlled by such minority.

2. (intransitive) To concur upon conviction; as, to acquiesce in an opinion; to assent to; usually, to concur, not heartily but so far as to forbear opposition.
   • 1794, Charlotte Smith, The Banished Man, vol II, ch 16

     I entirely acquiesce in all the observations you make in your letter; they are worthy of your heart and understanding;

Synonyms

• (rest satisfied):
• (concur upon conviction): accept tacitly, go along with; See also Thesaurus:acquiesce

• agree
• assent
• comply
• concur
• consent
• submit
• yield

Related terms

Translations

References

• acquiesce in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.

French

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -?s

Verb

acquiesce

1. first-person singular present indicative of acquiescer
2. third-person singular present indicative of acquiescer
3. first-person singular present subjunctive of acquiescer
4. third-person singular present subjunctive of acquiescer
5. second-person singular imperative of acquiescer

Latin

Verb

acqui?sce

1. second-person singular present active imperative of acqui?sc?