I'm having problems with 'sanction', used as a verb. It used to mean to authorize or countenance, but it's currently being used to mean almost the opposite, 'to apply sanctions to', i.e. not to countenance.

I've come across this most commonly recently in the context of people being 'sanctioned' by having their job seekers' allowance take away on the grounds that they are not job-seeking sufficiently energetically. But I also read something like this in the press (quoting from memory - I didn't make a note at the time);

'Some American priests who have been arguing for the ordination of women have been sanctioned by their ecclesiastical superiors.'

Great, I thought, in my innocence. The ecclesiastical authorities were letting the priests get away with expressing such radical thoughts! Then I read it again, and realised what it really meant. Felt quite disappointed.

My edition of the OED recognizes the new use, but quotes some authority as saying that it is 'of doubtful acceptability at present.'

This post was last modified: 21-04-2014 04:10 PM by robin orton.