allege

[ uh-lej ]
/ əˈlɛdʒ /

verb (used with object), al·leged, al·leg·ing.

to assert without proof.
to declare with positiveness; affirm; assert: to allege a fact.
to declare before a court or elsewhere, as if under oath.
to plead in support of; offer as a reason or excuse.
Archaic. to cite or quote in confirmation.

Origin of allege

1275–1325; Middle English alleg(g)en, probably < Old French aleguer (< Medieval Latin, Latin allēgāre to adduce in support of a plea; see allegation), conflated with Anglo-French, Old French aleg(i)er to justify, free, literally, to lighten (< Late Latin alleviāre; see alleviate); homonymous Middle English v. alleg(g)en, with literal sense of Old French aleg(i)er, replaced by allay in 16th cent.

SYNONYMS FOR allege

ANTONYMS FOR allege

2 deny.

synonym study for allege

1. See maintain.

OTHER WORDS FROM allege

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH allege

accuse allege charge

British Dictionary definitions for allegeable

allege
/ (əˈlɛdʒ) /

verb (tr; may take a clause as object)

to declare in or as if in a court of law; state without or before proof he alleged malpractice
to put forward (an argument or plea) for or against an accusation, claim, etc
archaic to cite or quote, as to confirm

Word Origin for allege

C14 aleggen, ultimately from Latin allēgāre to dispatch on a mission, from lēx law