<p><strong>Adjective</strong></p><ul><li>habitually or characteristically accepting or tolerant of something, as social behavior or linguistic usage, that others might disapprove or forbid.</li><li>Synonyms: lax, lenient, indulgent.</li><li>granting or denoting permission: a permissive nod.</li><li>left to one's choice; not mandatory: This legislation is permissive and merely authorizes counties to levy a tax if in the county's best interest.</li><li>Genetics: (of a cell) permitting replication of a strand of DNA that could be lethal, as a viral segment or mutant gene.</li></ul>