Assent

Approval of something done. An undertaking to do something in compliance with a request. In* strictness, "assent" is to be distinguished from "consent," which denotes a willingness that something about to be done be done; "acceptance," compliance with, or receipt of, something offered; "ratification," rendering valid something done without authority; and "approval," an expression of satisfaction with some act done for the benefit of another besides the party approving. But in practice the term is often used in the sense of acceptance and approval. Thus, an offer is said to be assented to, although properly an offer and acceptance complete an agreement. It is apprehended that this confusion has arisen from the fact that a request, assent, and concurrence of the party requesting complete a contract as fully as an offer and acceptance. Thus, it is said there must be a request on one comes a promise enforceable by the party requesting, when he has done anything to entitle him to the right. Assent thus becomes in reality (so far as it is assent merely, and not acceptance) an offer made in response to a request. Assent and approval as applied to acts of parliament and of congress, have become confounded, from the fact that the bills of parliament were originally requests from parliament to the king.

See 1 Bl. Comm. 183.

Express assent is that which is openly declared. Implied assent is that which is presumed by law.