Definition of "ratify" []

• To approve and give formal sanction to; confirm. See Synonyms at approve. (verb-transitive)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "Fourth, the original understanding of the Constitution by the public and the men who voted to ratify is clear that Constitution was to be secular, promote tolerance, and granted no powers in matters of religion."
• "Refusing to ratify is no longer an option: the only way to unpick this will be by way either of complete renegotiation or of entering into a derogation of the Treaty."
• "The only other country not to ratify is Somalia, which has no functioning government."