Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Tolerate \Tol"er*ate\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Tolerated}; p. pr. &
   vb. n. {Tolerating}.] [L. toleratus, p. p. of tolerare, fr.
   the same root as tollere to lift up, tuli, used as perfect of
   ferre to bear, latus (for tlatus), used as p. p. of ferre to
   bear, and E. thole. See {Thole}, and cf. {Atlas},
   {Collation}, {Delay}, {Elate}, {Extol}, {Legislate},
   {Oblate}, {Prelate}, {Relate}, {Superlative}, {Talent},
   {Toll} to take away, {Translate}.]
   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}.

Source : WordNet®

tolerate
     v 1: 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" [syn: {digest}, {endure}, {stick out},
           {stomach}, {bear}, {stand}, {support}, {brook}, {abide},
           {suffer}, {put up}]
     2: recognize and respect (rights and beliefs of others); "We
        must tolerate the religions of others"
     3: have a tolerance for a poison or strong drug or pathogen;
        "The patient does not tolerate the anti-inflammatory drugs
        we gave him"
     4: 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" [syn: {allow}, {permit}]