allow
/əˈlaʊ/ verb A2- To let one have as a suitable share of something. · to allow a servant his liberty; to allow a free passage; to allow one day for rest
- To present something as possible or reasonable. · The event allows of only one interpretation.
- To permit, to give permission to. · I will allow my son to be absent.
- To not bar or obstruct. · Although I don't consent to their holding such meetings, I will allow them for the time being.· Smoking (is) allowed only in designated areas.
- To acknowledge, accept the truth of; to concede; to accede to an opinion; to say something one agrees on in the context of a larger disagreement or reluctance. · to allow a right; to allow a claim; to allow an appeal· You must allow that disagreeing about politics puts a strain on a relationship.
- To grant (something) as a deduction or an addition; especially to abate or deduct. · to allow a sum for leakage· How much will you allow on my old jalopy?
- To make an allowance, to take into account when making plans. · When calculating a budget for a construction project, always allow for contingencies.
- To render physically possible.
Plural allow · He/she/it allows · Past allowed · Past participle allowed · -ing form allowing
Verb forms
- Base form
- allow
- He/she/it
- allows
- Past
- allowed
- Past participle
- allowed
- -ing form
- allowing
From the library
“So, if you will allow me to join your party, I will also go to the Emerald City and ask Oz to help me.”
Private misfortunes must never be allowed to interfere with business.”
“Suffer me, also, madame,” replied Villefort, “to add my earnest request to Mademoiselle de Saint-Méran’s, that you will kindly allow the veil of oblivion to cover and conceal the past.
It seems to me they must be more cowardly than you are if they allow you to scare them so easily.”
Learn allow in real texts
With a free account, hover any word in the library for its meaning, hear it read aloud, save words for review timed to your memory, and see how much of each book you already know.