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British

allow

[ uh-lou ]

/ əˈlaʊ /

See synonyms for: allow / allowed / allowing / allows on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object)

to give permission to or for; permit: to allow a student to be absent; No swimming allowed.

to let have; give as one's share; grant as one's right: to allow a person $100 for expenses.

to permit by neglect, oversight, or the like: to allow a door to remain open.

to admit; acknowledge; concede: to allow a claim.

to take into consideration, as by adding or subtracting; set apart: to allow an hour for changing trains.

Older Use. to say; think.

Archaic. to approve; sanction.

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.

ANTONYMS FOR allow

1 forbid, prohibit.

See antonyms for allow on Thesaurus.com

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?

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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?

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

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

all over but the shouting, all over one, all-overs, all over the place, all over with, allow, allowable, allowable cut, allowance, allowance race, Alloway

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021

Example sentences from the Web for allow

At the beginning of the pandemic, the FDA took the unprecedented step of allowing companies like Legere’s to distribute antibody tests that were not authorized by the agency.
The COVID-19 Charmer: How a Self-Described Felon Convinced Elected Officials to Try to Help Him Profit From the Pandemic|by Vianna Davila, Jeremy Schwartz and Lexi Churchill|September 25, 2020|ProPublica
The environmental group has also called on the administration to tighten the 2019 regulations on surface expressions, which explicitly allowed steam fracking.
Gov. Gavin Newsom Says California Is Cracking Down on Oil Spills. But Our Reporting Shows Many Are Still Flowing.|by Janet Wilson, The Desert Sun|September 24, 2020|ProPublica
Memphis Rox also offers a pay-what-you-can cost structure that allows participants to offset normal gym fees with volunteer hours at the gym or a local charity.
How Outdoor Companies Can Back Up Their DEI Pledges|Kai Lightner|September 23, 2020|Outside Online
For the more ambitious, backpacking in the dunes and nearby mountains is also allowed—but by permit only.
I Tried to Climb the Largest Sand Dune in North America|Emily Pennington|September 22, 2020|Outside Online

As one former employee put it, “they were HUGE cash cows” that allowed the network to lower costs paid to outside companies.
He Wanted to Fix Rural America’s Broken Nursing Homes. Now, Taxpayers May Be on the Hook for $76 Million.|by Max Blau for Georgia Health News|September 22, 2020|ProPublica
This week, Florida became the 36th state to allow same-sex marriage.
Jeb Bush’s Unseen Anti-Gay Marriage Emails|Jackie Kucinich|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
First, they allow Paul to siphon off attention from whichever potential candidate is making news.
Rand Paul’s Passive-Aggressive Trolling Campaign|Olivia Nuzzi|January 6, 2015|DAILY BEAST
By contrast, a gun will allow a pilot to attack hostile forces that are less than 300 feet from friendly ground forces.
New U.S. Stealth Jet Can’t Fire Its Gun Until 2019|Dave Majumdar|December 31, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Cover with plastic wrap and allow the dates to soften, about 15 minutes.
Make ‘The Chew’s’ Carla Hall’s Sticky Toffee Pudding|Carla Hall|December 28, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Allow beans to cool completely then remove to a paper towel-lined plate to dry.
Make Carla Hall’s Crispy Shallot Green Bean Casserole|Carla Hall|December 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Allow to boil until the balls are well set, turning them over that both sides may get done.
The Allinson Vegetarian Cookery Book|Thomas R. Allinson
No man should allow himself to recommend another for qualities which he knows he does not possess.
The Book of Business Etiquette|Nella Henney
This is it indeed which the devil desireth; he can allow you grief and desperation, but not to amend.
A Christian Directory (Volume 1 of 4)|Richard Baxter
I would not allow that paper, blown by the wind, to scare me from the highway of the argument!
The Works of Robert G. Ingersoll, Vol. 10 (of 12)|Robert G. Ingersoll
Any other child would have retraced his steps but the brave little Henry would not allow himself to be discouraged.
Old French Fairy Tales|Comtesse de Sgur

British Dictionary definitions for allow

allow

/ (əˈlaʊ) /

verb

(tr) to permit (to do something); let

(tr) to set asidefive hours were allowed to do the job

(tr) to let enter or staythey don't allow dogs

(tr) to acknowledge or concede (a point, claim, etc)

(tr) to let have; granthe was allowed few visitors

(intr foll by for) to take into accountallow for delays

(intr often foll by of) to permit; admita question that allows of only one reply

(tr; may take a clause as object) US dialect to assert; maintain

(tr) archaic to approve; accept

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 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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