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.
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
allotropous,
allotropy,
allottee,
allotype,
allover,
allow,
allow for,
allowable,
allowable cut,
allowance,
allowance race
British Dictionary definitions for allow for
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
Idioms and Phrases with allow for
allow for
Leave room for, permit, as in We have enough chairs to allow for forty extra guests, or Our denomination allows for a large variety of beliefs. [Early 1700s] Also see make allowance.