- put up with something or somebody unpleasant
"I cannot bear his constant criticism"
"The new secretary had to endure a lot of unprofessional remarks"
"he learned to tolerate the heat"
"She stuck out two years in a miserable marriage"

- allow the presence of or allow (an activity) without opposing or prohibiting
"We don''t allow dogs here"
"Children are not permitted beyond this point"
"We cannot tolerate smoking in the hospital"

- have a tolerance for a poison or strong drug or pathogen
"The patient does not tolerate the anti-inflammatory drugs we gave him"

- recognize and respect (rights and beliefs of others)
"We must tolerate the religions of others"

1. To suffer to be, or to be done, without prohibition or hindrance; to allow or permit negatively, by not preventing; not to restrain; to put up with; as, to tolerate doubtful practices.

"Crying should not be tolerated in children." -- Locke.

"We tolerate them because property and liberty, to a degree, require that toleration." -- Burke.

Syn. -- See Permit.