al ‧ low S1 W1 /əˈlaʊ/ BrE AmE verb [transitive]
[ Date: 1300-1400 ; Language: Old French ; Origin: allouer , from Medieval Latin allocare ( ⇨ ↑ allocate ) and from Latin adlaudare , from ad- 'to' + laudare 'to praise' ]
1 . CAN DO SOMETHING to let someone do or have something, or let something happen SYN permit
allow somebody/something to do something
My parents wouldn’t allow me to go to the party.
Women are not allowed to enter the mosque.
Don’t allow your problems to dominate your life.
allow somebody something
Passengers are allowed one item of hand luggage each.
How much time are we allowed?
allow somebody in/out/up etc
I don’t allow the cat in the bedroom.
The audience is not allowed backstage.
something is (not) allowed (=something is or is not officially permitted)
Are dictionaries allowed in the exam?
We don’t allow diving in the pool.
2 . MAKE SOMETHING POSSIBLE to make it possible for something to happen or for someone to do something, especially something helpful or useful SYN permit :
This adjustment of the figures allows a fairer comparison.
allow for
Our new system will allow for more efficient use of resources.
allow somebody to do something
A 24-hour ceasefire allowed the two armies to reach an agreement.
allow somebody something
a seat belt that allows the driver greater freedom of movement
3 . HAVE ENOUGH OF SOMETHING to be sure that you have enough time, money, food etc available for a particular purpose
allow somebody something
Allow yourselves plenty of time to get to the airport.
allow something for somebody/something
I’ve allowed half a bottle of wine for each person.
4 . CORRECT/PERMITTED formal to accept that something is correct or true, or that something is acceptable according to the rules or law
allow that
I allow that there may have been a mistake.
The judge allowed the evidence.
5 . allow me formal used as a polite way of offering to help someone do something:
‘Allow me,’ the waiter said, opening the door.
⇨ ↑ let 1 , ↑ forbid (1)
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ allow to say that someone can do something – used about parents, teachers, or people in authority:
They don’t allow students to chew gum in the classroom.
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I’m not allowed to stay out after ten o'clock.
▪ let [not in passive] to allow someone to do something. Let is not used in the passive, and is much more commonly used in everyday English than allow :
Will your Mum let you come to the party?
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I’ll borrow John’s bicycle, if he’ll let me.
▪ permit formal if something is permitted, it is allowed according to the rules - used especially on written notices and announcements:
Smoking is not permitted anywhere in the building.
▪ give somebody permission used when someone in an important official position decides to allow someone to do something:
He was given special permission to leave school early.
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The Home Office has given him permission to stay in Britain indefinitely.
▪ give your consent to say that you will allow someone to do something that will affect you personally, or a member of your family, when you have a legal right to say ‘no’:
Her parents have given their consent to the marriage.
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You can’t build on someone’s land without the owner’s consent.
▪ give something the go-ahead to officially allow a planned project or activity to happen:
The government finally gave the go-ahead for a new terminal at Heathrow airport.
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A new nuclear plant has been given the go-ahead.
▪ authorize to officially or legally allow someone to do something - used about laws or people:
The UN resolution would authorize the use of force.
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I never authorized them to give information about me to other banks.
▪ entitle to give someone the right to do or have something:
The pass entitles you to travel on any bus, at any time, in Norwich.
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If the goods are faulty, the customer is entitled to a refund.
▪ sanction formal to give official approval and support for something:
The Truman administration refused to sanction a military attack.
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The advertisements were sanctioned by the candidate himself.
allow for somebody/something phrasal verb
to consider the possible facts, problems, costs etc involved in something when making a plan, calculation, or judgment:
Allowing for inflation, the cost of the project will be $2 million.
You should always allow for the possibility that it might rain.
allow of something phrasal verb formal
to make it possible for something to happen or be accepted:
The facts allow of only one interpretation.