To ratify something is to make a written agreement official, usually by signing it or by a formal vote. A president or a parliament ratifies a treaty; members ratify a constitution or a union deal. Until it is ratified, the paper may be only a draft, or a deal that is not yet law.

To ratify somethingratify 一件事 is to make a written agreement official就是讓一份書面協議正式生效, usually by signing it or by a formal vote通常是透過簽署或正式投票的方式。A president or a parliament ratifies a treaty總統或國會會 ratify（批准）一項條約; members ratify a constitution or a union deal成員們會 ratify 憲法或工會協議。Until it is ratified在被 ratify（批准）之前, the paper may be only a draft那份文件可能只是草案, or a deal that is not yet law或是一項還沒成為法律的協議。

It is formal English, used in government, law, and organisations. You do not ratify a dinner plan or a text message.

It is formal English這是正式的英文用語, used in government, law, and organisations用在政府、法律和組織的場合。You do not ratify a dinner plan or a text message你不會用 ratify 來講晚餐計畫或一則簡訊。

In news you will often hear that a country has signed a treaty but has not yet ratified it: the signature can come first, and the real legal stamp later. The noun for that step is ratification.

In news you will often hear在新聞裡你常會聽到 that a country has signed a treaty but has not yet ratified it某個國家簽了一項條約但還沒批准它: the signature can come first簽字可以先發生, and the real legal stamp later真正具法律效力的批准則在後面。The noun for that step is ratification這個步驟的名詞是 ratification（批准）。

It is not related in meaning to rate as in speed or price, even though the Latin root is an old word for “settled.”

It is not related in meaning to rate as in speed or price它在意思上跟表示速度或價格的 rate 沒有關係, even though the Latin root is an old word for "settled."儘管它的拉丁字根是一個表示「已確定」的古字。