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REFERENCE

allow

v.
US //əˈɫaʊ// UK //ɐlˈaʊ// al·low
  1. 1 to permit (v.)
    A2 Elementary

    to give someone permission to do something or to let something happen.

    to permit or give consent to an action or condition. Often used with an object and a to-infinitive.

    Example

    The teacher will allow us to use our notes during the final exam.

    Example

    The security protocols do not allow visitors to enter the laboratory without a verified digital pass and a physical escort.

    Usage

    Takes a direct object followed by a to-infinitive, or a gerund if no object is present (e.g., 'they don't allow smoking').
    Pitfall
    My parents don't allow me go out late.
    My parents don't allow me to go out late.

    Unlike 'let', the verb 'allow' requires 'to' before the following verb.

  2. 2 to provide or allocate (v.)
    B1 Intermediate

    to give someone a specific amount of time, money, or space for a purpose.

    to provide or set aside a specific portion of a resource for a particular person or use.

    Example

    You should allow at least thirty minutes for the paint to dry completely.

    Example

    The budget allows five hundred dollars for incidental travel expenses, provided that all receipts are submitted by the end of the month.
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  1. 3 to admit or concede (v.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Formal

    to admit that something is true, even if you do not want to.

    to acknowledge or concede the truth of a statement, often as part of a larger argument.

    Example

    He had to allow that her plan was much better than his own.

    Example

    The judge allowed that the defendant had been under significant stress, though this did not excuse the breach of contract.
  2. 4 to make possible (v.)
    B1 Intermediate

    to make it possible for something to happen.

    to render an event or state physically or logically possible.

    Example

    The new windows allow more natural light into the living room.

    Example

    The modular design of the spacecraft allows for rapid repairs even while the vessel is in transit.
  3. 5 to grant a legal request (v.)
    C1 Advanced Formal Technical Law

    to officially agree to a request in a court of law.

    to rule in favour of a motion, claim, or appeal within a legal proceeding.

    Example

    The judge decided to allow the appeal after hearing the new evidence.

    Example

    The court chose to allow the motion for discovery, compelling the corporation to release its internal emails from the period in question.
  4. 6 to let something slide (v.)
    C2 Proficiency Slang Dialect

    to stop worrying about something or to leave someone alone.

    to forgo bothering with something or to cease an annoying activity; often used as an imperative.

    Example

    Just allow it, man; it's not worth getting into a fight over.

    Example

    He was going to complain about the noise, but his friend told him to just allow it and keep walking.

    Teacher's tip

    This sense is specific to Multicultural London English (MLE) and is very informal; learners should avoid using it in academic or professional settings.
Origin

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.

Word family

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