allow
[ uh-lou ]
/ əˈlaʊ /
verb (used with object)
verb (used without object)
to permit something to happen or to exist; admit (often followed by of): to spend more than one's budget allows; a premise that allows of only one conclusion.
VIDEO FOR ALLOW
WATCH NOW: What Is The Origin Of The Word Allow?
Allow is an incredibly old word, but doesn’t it make you feel young again when you hear it? Why?
QUIZZES
DISCOVER THE INFLUENCE OF PORTUGUESE ON ENGLISH VIA THIS QUIZ!
We’ve gathered some interesting words donated to English from Portuguese … as well as some that just don’t translate at all. Do you know what they mean?
Question 1 of 11
Which of the following animal names traces its immediate origin to Portuguese?
Idioms for allow
allow for, to make concession or provision for: to allow for breakage.
Origin of allow
1250–1300; Middle English alowen<Anglo-French al(l)o(u)er to place, allot, allow, Old French aloer to place <Late Latin allocāre;see al-, locus; the older sense “approve, sanction” and Middle English sense “praise” probably by taking the Anglo-French v. as representing Medieval Latin, Latin adlaudāre to praise; see ad-, laud
synonym study for allow
1. Allow, let, permit imply granting or conceding the right of someone to do something. Allow and permit are often interchangeable, but permit is the more positive. Allow implies complete absence of an attempt, or even an intent, to hinder. Permit suggests formal or implied assent or authorization. Let is the familiar, conversational term for both allow and permit.
OTHER WORDS FROM allow
pre·al·low, verb (used with object)Words nearby allow
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
Example sentences from the Web for allow
British Dictionary definitions for allow
allow
/ (əˈlaʊ) /
verb
Word Origin for allow
C14: from Old French alouer, from Late Latin allaudāre to extol, influenced by Medieval Latin allocāre to assign, allocate
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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