assent
gb/əsˈɛnt/ us/əsˈɛnt/
C1
Anglais
~ 25600
Sens
0 sens
Nom
formal
C1
entity
1
official agreement or approval
Formal agreement to an idea, plan, or request, often by someone with power to decide.
Schéma d’usage :
assent to [something]
Erreur fréquente :
Learners often confuse "assent" with "consent" and "ascent". "Assent" is agreement or approval; "consent" is permission, especially in legal or personal matters; "ascent" (with a "c") means the act of going up, like climbing a mountain. Another mistake is using "assent" in casual speech where "yes" or "agree" would sound more natural.
Synonymes
approval (General and very common; may be less formal and not always tied to an official decision.)
|
consent (Stresses permission being granted, especially in legal or personal contexts; often more about allowing than simply agreeing.)
Antonymes
dissent (Means open disagreement or refusal to agree, especially in formal or public contexts.)
|
refusal (Focuses on saying no to a request or proposal instead of giving formal agreement.)
Collocations
give assent
|withhold assent
|royal assent
|nod of assent
|assent of the board
|assent to the proposal
Thèmes
law
|politics
|business
|core_vocabulary
Exemples
- The project cannot proceed without the board’s assent.
- Parliament gave its assent to the new tax legislation after weeks of debate.
- The treaty was signed with the full assent of all member states.
- She nodded her assent, and the meeting moved on to the next item.
- Royal assent was granted, and the bill became law the following day.
Exemples pédagogiques
- The plan needs your assent before we start.
- The manager gave his assent to the new schedule.
- Without the teacher’s assent, the trip cannot happen.
- She showed her assent with a quiet nod.
- The contract is valid only with written assent from both sides.
Verbe
formal
C1
action
2
to formally agree or approve
To say yes to an idea, plan, or request in a formal or serious way, often after thinking about it.
Schéma d’usage :
[someone] assents to [something]
Erreur fréquente :
Learners sometimes use "assent" in casual conversation where "agree" is more natural, making their speech sound too formal. Another frequent confusion is between "assent" (to agree) and "consent" (to give permission), and between "assent" and the noun "ascent" (going upward). Also, learners may forget the preposition "to" and say *"assent the plan" instead of "assent to the plan."
Synonymes
agree (More common and less formal; used in both everyday and serious situations.)
|
consent (Highlights giving permission; often used in legal, medical, or personal contexts.)
Antonymes
object (Focuses on expressing disagreement or opposition instead of agreeing.)
|
dissent (Stresses formally or publicly disagreeing with a decision or opinion.)
Collocations
assent to the proposal
|assent to the request
|readily assent
|reluctantly assent
|assent without objection
|assent in writing
Thèmes
law
|politics
|business
|communication
Exemples
- The shareholders assented to the merger after reviewing the financial report.
- Although skeptical at first, the committee eventually assented to her proposal.
- He refused to assent to any changes that would weaken worker protections.
- All parties assented to the terms of the settlement in court.
- The minister assented to the plan, clearing the way for its implementation.
Exemples pédagogiques
- The board assented to the new rules.
- After some questions, they assented to the plan.
- She did not assent to the change in her contract.
- The judge assented to the lawyer’s request.
- Both sides assented to the agreement in the end.
Grammaire
Forme canonique
assent
API
GB/əsˈɛnt/
US/əsˈɛnt/
Syllabes et accentuation
as - sent (2 syllabes)
Stress on 2nd syllable (sent)
Formes du mot
Noun
- Base: assent
- Plural: assent, assents
Verb
- Base: assent
- 3rd Person Singular: assents
- Present Participle: assenting
- Past: assented
Famille de mots
Forms
assents
noun
assenting
verb
assented
verb
Negative and opposite forms
dissent
noun C1
Expressions
a nod of assent
1/ə nˈɑd əv əsˈɛnt/
fixed phrase
head movement showing agreement
A small movement of the head up and down to show you agree.
Exemples
- She gave a quick nod of assent and signed the document.
- With a slow nod of assent, he accepted the terms of the deal.
give assent
1/ɡˈɪv əsˈɛnt/
fixed phrase
formal
formally approve or agree
To formally say yes to a plan, idea, or request.
Exemples
- The board finally agreed to give assent to the acquisition.
- Citizens hoped the president would give assent to the reform bill.
royal assent
1/ɹˈɔɪəl əsˈɛnt/
fixed phrase
technical
monarch’s formal approval of a law
The formal approval a king or queen gives to a law so that it can start.
Exemples
- The bill received royal assent and became law the next day.
- Without royal assent, the legislation cannot take effect.
withhold assent
1/wɪθhˈoʊld əsˈɛnt/
fixed phrase
formal
refuse to give approval
To choose not to formally agree to something.
Exemples
- Several members decided to withhold assent until their concerns were addressed.
- The council may withhold assent if the proposal lacks public support.