approve
v.v. to officially accept a plan or request, or to think that someone or something is good. You often use it when a person in charge gives permission.
v. to give formal or official sanction to a proposal; to express a favourable opinion of something. Often used intransitively with the preposition 'of' to indicate personal agreement or liking.
The manager needs to approve your vacation request.
The city council met last night to approve the plans for the new community park.
While the board may approve the merger in principle, the final execution remains contingent upon a thorough audit of the subsidiary's outstanding debts.
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₂éd Proto-Italic *ad Proto-Italic *ad- Latin ad- Proto-Indo-European *per-der.? Proto-Indo-European *per-der.? Proto-Indo-European *pér Proto-Indo-European *-o Proto-Indo-European *pró Proto-Indo-European *pro-der. Proto-Indo-European *bʰuH-der. Proto-Italic *proβwos Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂ Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂yéti Proto-Italic *-āō Proto-Italic *proβwāō Latin probō Latin approbōder. Old French aproverbor. Middle English aproven English approve From Middle English aproven, appreoven, appreven, apreven, borrowed from Old French aprover, approver, approuvir, appreuver (“to approve”), from Latin approbō, from ad + probō (“to esteem as good, approve, prove”). Doublet of approbate. By surface analysis, ad- + prove.
From Middle English approuen, approven, from Old French aprouer; a- + a form apparently derived from the pro, prod, in Latin prōsum (“be useful or profitable”). Compare with improve.
When expressing a positive opinion, it is intransitive and requires 'of'. When giving official permission, it is transitive and takes a direct object.
I approve your ideaI approve of your ideaUse 'approve of' when you think something is good; use 'approve' without 'of' only for official permission or formal authorization.