allow

[ uh-lou ]

/ əˈlaʊ /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR allow 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.

Nearby words

allotropous, allotropy, allottee, allotype, allover, allow, allow for, allowable, allowable cut, allowance, allowance race

Idioms

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

ANTONYMS FOR allow

1 forbid, prohibit.

SEE MORE ANTONYMS FOR allow ON THESAURUS.COM

Related formspre·al·low, verb (used with object)

Synonym study

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.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for allowing

And in either case, “the significant benefit from allowing Wi-Fi hotspots outweighs these concerns.”
How ‘Ethical’ Hotel Chain Marriott Gouges Guests in the Name of Wi-Fi Security|Kyle Chayka|December 31, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Allowing the protests to go on with little interference was always a high-stakes gamble.
De Blasio and the New York City Protesters Have No Blood on Their Hands|Jacob Siegel|December 22, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Allowing some people to discriminate sends the message that discrimination is okay.
Do LGBTs Owe Christians an Olive Branch? Try The Other Way Around|Jay Michaelson|December 14, 2014|DAILY BEAST
By allowing him to live, Marshal avoided the shame of killing an unarmed heir-apparent.
England’s Greatest Knight Puts ‘Game of Thrones’ to Shame|William O’Connor|December 9, 2014|DAILY BEAST

There is a procedure called “compassionate release” allowing terminally ill men to die at home.
A Million Ways to Die in Prison|Daniel Genis|December 8, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Karl, sure enough, was strolling about below and allowing the boys and girls to admire him.
Pelle the Conqueror, Complete|Martin Anderson Nexo
He had selected this spot in the event of the Powers not allowing his remains to be transferred to France or Ajaccio.
The Tragedy of St. Helena|Walter Runciman
It probably served the turn of those who sent it by allowing them to throw the blame of the future war entirely on the English.
A History of England, Period III.|Rev. J. Franck Bright
He thinned the disaffected population by allowing foreign enlistment, and 40,000 are said to have been thus got rid of.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 14, Slice 7|Various
An idea of it may be obtained from the present buildings, allowing for some modifications.
Jerusalem Explored, Volume I--Text|Ermete Pierotti

British Dictionary definitions for allowing

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

Word Origin and History for allowing

allow

early 14c., allouen, "to commend, praise; approve of, be pleased with; appreciate the value of;" also, "take into account or give credit for," also, in law and philosophy, "recognize, admit as valid" (a privilege, an excuse, a statement, etc.). From late 14c. as "sanction or permit; condone;" in business use from early 15c.

The Middle English word is from Anglo-French alouer, Old French aloer, alloiier (13c.) "allot, apportion, bestow, assign," from Latin allocare (see allocate). This word in Old French was confused and ultimately merged with aloer; alloer "to praise, commend," from Latin allaudare, adlaudare, compound of ad- "to" (see ad-) + laudare "to praise" (see laud). From the first word came the sense preserved in allowance as "money granted;" from the second came its meaning "permission based on approval."

Between the two primary significations there naturally arose a variety of uses blending them in the general idea of assign with approval, grant, concede a thing claimed or urged, admit a thing offered, permit, etc., etc. [OED].

Related: Allowed; allowing.

allow

verb (used with object)

verb (used without object)

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Origin of allow

Synonym study

Examples from the Web for allowing

British Dictionary definitions for allowing

allow

verb

Word Origin for allow

Word Origin and History for allowing

allow