tolerate
UK /ˈtɒl.ə.ɹeɪt/ · US /ˈtɑ.lə.ɹeɪt/ verb
Forms tolerates tolerating tolerated
- verb (transitive) To allow or permit without explicit approval, usually if it is perceived as negative. “The party tolerated corruption within its ranks.”
- verb (transitive) To bear, withstand. “I can tolerate working on Saturday, but not Sunday.”
Synonyms
allow take endure withstand bear live with put up with stand countenance have abear abide aby accept bide brook dree forbear go along with pass digest stick out stomach support suffer put up permit
Antonyms
Etymology
Borrowed from Latin tolerātus, the perfect passive participle of tolerō (“to endure”), see -ate (verb-forming suffix). Cognate with Old English þolian (“to tolerate, suffer, bear”) and French tolérer. More at thole.
Webster’s 1913
- verb To suffer to be, or to be done, without prohibition or hindrance; to allow or permit negatively, by not preventing; not to restrain; to put up with; as, to tolerate doubtful practices.
Etymology [L. toleratus, p.p. of tolerare, fr. the same root as tollere to lift up, tuli, used as perfect of ferre to bear, latus (for tlatus), used as p.p. of ferre to bear, and E. thole. See Thole, and cf. Atlas, Collation, Delay, Elate, Extol, Legislate, Oblate, Prelate, Relate, Superlative, Talent, Toll to take away, Translate.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “tolerate”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details