v., -lowed, -low·ing, -lows. v.tr.
- To let do or happen; permit: We allow smoking only in restricted areas.
- To permit the presence of: No pets are allowed inside.
- To permit to have: allow oneself a little treat.
- To make provision for; assign: The schedule allows time for a coffee break.
- To plan for in case of need: allow two inches in the fabric for shrinkage.
- To grant as a discount or in exchange: allowed me 20 dollars on my old typewriter.
- Chiefly Southern & Midland U.S.
- To admit; concede: I allowed he was right.
- To think; suppose: "We allow he's straight" (American Speech).
- To assert; declare: Mother allowed that we'd better come in for dinner.
- To offer a possibility; admit: The poem allows of several interpretations.
- To take a possibility into account; make allowance: In calculating profit, retailers must allow for breakage and spoilage.
[Middle English allouen, to approve, permit, from Old French alouer, from Latin allaudāre, to praise (ad-, intensive pref.; see ad- + laudāre, to praise; see laud) and from Medieval Latin allocāre, to assign; see allocate.]
allowable al·low'a·ble adj.allowably al·low'a·bly adv.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
