allow

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   to plan for a certain possibility

   We've allowed several different outcomes in our planning.

2. 2
   verb

   to give or assign a resource to a particular person or cause

   I allowed the funds to be used for renovations.

3. 3
   verb

   to consent to, to give permission

   The parents allowed their child to go out after ten at night.

4. 4
   verb

   to permit the presence of or permit an activity without opposing or prohibiting

   We don't allow dogs here.

5. 5
   verb

   to let have

   I allow invited guests to bring a friend.

6. 6
   verb

   to grant as a discount or in exchange

   The camera store owner allowed me $50 on my old camera.

7. 7
   verb

   to make it possible through a specific action or lack of action for something to happen

   Their preparation allows the acrobat to perform the tricky move easily.

8. 8
   verb

   to allow the other baseball team to score

   They allowed two runs.

Etymology

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…