(1) ratify是以签字或其他方式“批准、通过(条约、法案、协定、决议等)”，使其在法律上生效。
- The Constitution of the U.S. was ratified by all of the thirteen original states during the years 1787 1790.
美国宪法于1787—1790年间获得了原来的所有13州的批准。 - A majority is needed to ratify the new amendment to the constitution.
需要有多数票批准，宪法修正案才能生效。
(2) ①approve意为“赞同，赞许”，系普通用词，多作不及物动词与of连用。
- I don't think your tutor will approve of your involvement in this matter.
我想你的导师不会同意你参与此事。 - She has never done anything that is not approved of by her parents.
她从未做过任何她父母不赞同的事情。
②approve有时也用作及物动词。
- I don't quite approve your plan.
我不太赞成你的计划。
③approve也可作“通过，同意，批准”解，用于正式场合，多作及物动词，有时也用作不及物动词，与of连用。
- The budget for the next fiscal year was approved 41 to 11 with 8 abstentions.
下一财政年度的预算以41票对11票通过，8票弃权。 - Mr. Jones didn't approve his daughter's marriage.
琼斯先生不同意他女儿的婚事。 - Do you really think your plan will be approved of by the committee straight away?
你真的认为委员会会马上批准你的计划吗？
(3) ①confirm意为“批准、认可、同意(条约、协定、合同等)；授予资格、称号等事宜”。
- The peace agreement was confirmed by the Congress.
此和平协定已获国会批准。 - The government confirmed him in his possession of the land.
政府已批准他拥有这片土地。 - He gave his life for saving the drowning child and was confirmed posthumously as a member of the CCP.
他为救溺水儿童献出生命，被追认为中共党员。
②confirm还可表示“证实、肯定、确认(消息、意见、怀疑、理论等)”，是日常普通用词。
- The report that over 100 people were killed in the air crash hasn't been confirmed yet.
这次空难中死亡100多人的报道尚未被证实。 - The hotel confirmed our reservations by telegram.
这家旅馆以电报方式确认了我们的订房事宜。 - Later events confirmed my previous determination.
后来的事态发展坚定了我先前的决心。
(4) ①endorse/indorse 原意为“背书，批注(文件)”。
- Endorse the check on the back, please.
请在支票背面签名。 - His driving license has been endorsed .
他的驾驶执照上有违规记录。
②endorse也表示“认可、赞同、支持、批准(要求、言论、意见、计划、申请等)”，侧重于表示明确的支持、拥护。可用于上级对下级，也可用于下级对上级的场合。
- The decisions of the council were heartily endorsed by all the workers.
委员会的决定受到了全体工人的衷心拥护。 - How can we endorse a candidate with a record like this?
我们怎能支持有着这样记录的候选人呢？ - The project proposal has been submitted to the authorities of the university, waiting to be endorsed .
对这项工程的建议已呈报校领导，正等待批准。
(5) sanction表示“授权，批准，认可；赞同，支持”，其行为者可以是权力机构，也可以是个人、舆论或习俗，可用作及物动词，也可用作名词。
- Did you translate the book with the sanction of the author and publisher?
你翻译这本书得到作者及出版商的许可了吗？ - Did you sanction flogging as a (means of )punishment for crimes of violence?
你同意把鞭打作为对暴力犯罪的一种惩罚吗？ - Such a use of the word, though ungrammatical, is sanctioned by usage.
该词的这种用法虽然不合语法，却是约定俗成了。
＊关于endorse和approve，另见“indorse...”条目。
