əˈlau̇ verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Middle English allowen, from Middle French aloer, alouer to place, use, grant (from Medieval Latin allocare ) & allouer to approve, from Latin adlaudare to extol, from ad- + laudare to praise — more at allocate , laud
transitive verb
1. archaic
a. : praise
b. : approve , sanction , accept
truly ye bear witness that ye allow the deeds of your fathers — Lk 11:48 (Authorized Version)
2.
a. obsolete : to give or recognize as a right
b.
(1) : to give or assign as a share or suitable amount (as of time or money) to a particular person or for a particular purpose
allow an hour for lunch
allowed each child one dollar a week as spending money
(2) : to allot or assign as a deduction or an addition
allow a gallon for leakage
3. : to accept as true or as represented : admit , concede , acknowledge
a people of whom this is true must be allowed to be musical — Wyn Griffith
he will not allow that we have eliminated these evils
played a more important part in his life than his biographer allows
4. : permit
a pipe to allow the heated air to escape
occasional gaps allow passage through the mountains
pulled to the side to allow us to pass
a. : to permit by way of concession
no smoking allowed
he allows himself many luxuries
children too young to be allowed out at night
b. : to permit by neglecting to restrain or prevent
allow a garden to become overgrown with weeds
conditions which should never have been allowed to develop
she had allowed herself to become very fat
5. dialect
a. : to be of the opinion : think , suppose
we allowed it was too late to start
b. : intend , plan — usually used with an infinitive
I allow to go fishing tomorrow
intransitive verb
1. : to make a possibility : provide opportunity or basis : admit , permit — used with of
evidence that allows of only one conclusion
underbrush too dense to allow of shooting
2. : to give consideration : make allowance — used with for
a distance, allowing for detours, of about 10 miles
3. dialect : suppose , consider
Synonyms: see let