allege

(ə-lĕj')
tr.v., -leged, -leg·ing, -leg·es.

1. To assert to be true; affirm: alleging his innocence of the charge.
2. To assert without or before proof: The indictment alleges that the commissioner took bribes.
3. To state (a plea or excuse, for example) in support or denial of a claim or accusation: The defendant alleges temporary insanity.
4. Archaic. To bring forward as an authority.

[Middle English alleggen, from Old French alegier, to vindicate, justify (influenced by aleguer, to give a reason), from esligier, to pay a fine, justify oneself, from Late Latin *exlītigāre, to clear at law : Latin ex-, out; see ex- + Latin lītigāre, to sue; see litigate.]

allegeable al·lege'a·ble adj.
alleger al·leg'er n.

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verb

1. To put into words positively and with conviction: affirm, argue, assert, asseverate, aver, avouch, avow, claim, contend, declare, hold, maintain, say, state. Idioms: have it. See affirm/deny/argue.
2. To bring forward for formal consideration: adduce, cite, lay, present. See law, words.

v

Definition: assert; claim
Antonyms: contradict, deny, disagree, dissent, object, protest, repudiate

This entry contains information applicable to United States law only.

To state, recite, assert, or charge the existence of particular facts in a pleading or an indictment; to make an allegation.

IN BRIEF: To state without proof.

After finding the evidence, it was easy to allege his guilt.

Tutor's tip: This word was used in the 2006 Scripps National Spelling Bee finals.

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For a list of words related to allege, see:

• Reasoning and Informing - allege: assert without proof; give as reason or excuse

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See words rhyming with "allege."

Common misspelling(s) of allege

• aledge
• alledge
• alege

Dansk (Danish)
v. tr. - påstå, hævde, anføre, påberåbe sig

Nederlands (Dutch)
beweren (zonder bewijs)

Français (French)
v. tr. - prétendre que, alléguer

Deutsch (German)
v. - behaupten

Ελληνική (Greek)
v. - ισχυρίζομαι, διατείνομαι, υποστηρίζω

Italiano (Italian)
addurre, affermare

Português (Portuguese)
v. - alegar, apresentar prova, declarar

Русский (Russian)
утверждать (обычно голословно)

Español (Spanish)
v. tr. - afirmar, alegar, sostener, pretender

Svenska (Swedish)
v. - anföra, påstå

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
主张, 申述, 宣称

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
v. tr. - 主張, 申述, 宣稱

한국어 (Korean)
v. tr. - 단언하다, 진술하다

日本語 (Japanese)
v. - 主張する, 断言する, 言い張る

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(فعل) يدعي, يزعم, يحتج, يتذرع‏

עברית (Hebrew)
v. tr. - ‮הצהיר, טען‬

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