official permission or authoritative ratification
something, e.g. a moral principle, that makes an oath or rule binding
a penalty attached to an offence
(usu in pl) an economic or military measure adopted to force a nation to change some policy or comply with international law
a consideration that determines moral action or judgment
a mechanism of social control for enforcing a society's standards
a formal ecclesiastical decree
[via French from Latin sanction-, sanctio, from sancire to make holy]