allow
v.v. to give someone permission to do something or to let something happen. You use this when there are rules or a person in charge.
v. to permit someone to do something or to give consent for an action to occur. Transitive — requires a direct object, often followed by a 'to'-infinitive clause.
My parents allow me to stay out late on weekends.
The new security policy does not allow visitors to enter the building without a valid photo ID.
While the current regulations allow for some flexibility in reporting, the proposed changes will require strict adherence to a standardized monthly format.
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₂éd Proto-Italic *ad Proto-Italic *ad- Latin ad- Latin laus Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂ Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂yéti Proto-Italic *-āō Latin -ō Latin laudō Latin allaudō Old French aloer ▲ Latin ad- Latin locus ▲ Latin -ō Latin locō Latin allocō Old French aloer Anglo-Norman alouerbor. Middle English allowen English allow From Middle English allowen, alowen, a borrowing from Anglo-Norman allouer, alouer, from Medieval Latin allaudāre, merged with alouer, from Medieval Latin allocō (“to assign”). Doublet of allaud (via allaudāre) or allocate (via allocāre). The similarity with Middle English alyfen (from Old English ālīefan) and German erlauben, both from Proto-Germanic *uzlaubijaną (“to allow”) is unrelated.
Transitive verb. When followed by another verb, it requires the pattern 'allow + object + to + infinitive'.
The teacher allows to use calculators.The teacher allows us to use calculators.When followed by an infinitive, 'allow' must have a direct object (the person being permitted) before the 'to'.