consent
Permission for something to happen or agreement to do something; in medicine, 'informed consent' is the process of a patient agreeing to a treatment after being told the risks.
Consent must be voluntary and informed. If a patient agrees because they were threatened or lied to, it is not legally or ethically valid consent.
Word relationships
- agreement: Agreement is general; consent is a formal, often legal, granting of permission.
- dissent: Dissent is the expression of disagreement or refusal to give permission.
Commonly confused with
- assent: Consent is a legal/ethical capacity; 'assent' is often used for minors who agree to a procedure but lack the legal standing to 'consent' fully.
Word family
- consensual (adjective): Relating to or involving consent.
Collocations
- informed consent
- parental consent
- give consent
- withhold consent
Idioms & expressions
- age of consent
- by common consent
Example sentences
- "The surgeon must obtain written consent from the patient before proceeding with the operation." Before a surgical procedure.
- "No person shall be subjected without his free consent to medical or scientific experimentation." Legal requirement for research.
Memory hook
Con (With) + Sent (Sense). You are 'with' the same 'sense' or feeling as the other person. Feeling together.
When not to use
Don't use it as a synonym for 'compliance.' Compliance is following orders; consent is giving permission.
Fun facts
- The concept of 'informed consent' didn't exist in law until the mid-20th century; before then, doctors often decided what to tell patients based on their own judgment.
Related words
Explore more words
Agreement, give permission, consensus, concurrence, compromise, assent
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