allow
allow
Pronunciation
allow: /əˈlaʊ/
a-: /ə/ (schwa sound)
-llow: /laʊ/ (l sound, followed by the "ow" as in "cow" diphthong)
Word Form Variations
Verb:
allow (base form)
allows (third-person singular present)
allowed (past tense, past participle)
allowing (present participle)
Noun:
allowance (derived noun)
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Verb
Definition 1: To grant permission for something to happen or for someone to do something; to permit or authorize.
Synonyms: permit, authorize, sanction, consent to, let, enable
Antonyms: forbid, prohibit, disallow, prevent, deny
Definition 2: To make provision for; to take into consideration when planning or calculating.
Synonyms: allocate, allot, provide for, budget for, set aside
Antonyms: neglect, disregard, overlook, exclude
Definition 3: To concede the truth or validity of; to acknowledge.
Synonyms: acknowledge, admit, concede, grant, accept
Antonyms: deny, reject, dispute, contest
Noun (derived from "allow" - allowance)
Definition 1 (Allowance): A sum of money paid regularly to a person, typically a parent to a child, or a fixed amount of a commodity, typically food or drink, allocated to a person.
Synonyms: stipend, dole, grant, subsidy, ration, allocation
Antonyms: deduction, penalty, fine
Definition 2 (Allowance): The act of allowing; permission. (Less common in modern usage, often replaced by "permission" or "authorization").
Synonyms: permission, authorization, sanction, approval
Antonyms: refusal, denial, prohibition
Examples of Use
Books:
"The most dangerous phrase in the language is, 'We've always done it this way.' It doesn't allow for innovation or progress." (Grace Hopper, The Wit and Wisdom of Grace Hopper, published posthumously)
"She didn't allow herself to shed a tear, not in front of him." (From a review of The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah, The New York Times Book Review, March 2015)
Newspapers:
"City officials will allow outdoor dining to continue year-round, citing its popularity with residents and support for local businesses." (The Boston Globe)
"The new legislation would allow for increased funding for public schools across the state." (Chicago Tribune)
Online Publications:
"Does Apple's new privacy feature really allow users to control their data, or is it just another marketing ploy?" (The Verge)
"Scientists hope the discovery will allow for a deeper understanding of the universe's origins." (Scientific American online)
Various Entertainment Mediums and Platforms:
Television (Dialogue): "I cannot allow you to put yourself in harm's way again." (From a crime drama series)
Music (Lyrics): "Don't allow your fears to drown out your dreams." (Song lyrics by a popular artist)
Film (Dialogue): "The rules don't allow for any exceptions, I'm afraid." (From a legal drama film)
Video Game (Instructions/Prompts): "Do you wish to allow this application to access your microphone?" (In-game prompt from a popular online game)
General Public Discourse:
"My boss doesn't allow us to work from home on Fridays anymore." (Casual conversation among colleagues)
"We need to allow for more time to complete the project, given the unexpected delays." (Team meeting discussion)
"Parents should allow their children to make mistakes and learn from them." (Discussion on a parenting forum)
10 Quotes Using Allow
"Never allow a person to tell you no who doesn't have the power to say yes." (Eleanor Roosevelt)
"Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep." (Scott Adams)
"You have to take risks. We will only understand the miracle of life fully when we allow the unexpected to happen." (Paulo Coelho)
"I shall allow no man to belittle my soul by making me hate him." (Booker T. Washington)
"Pessimism is a luxury that a Jew can never allow himself." (Golda Meir)
"One who deceives will always find those who allow themselves to be deceived." (Niccolò Machiavelli)
"We should not give up and we should not allow the problem to defeat us." (A. P. J. Abdul Kalam)
"Love is the ability and willingness to allow those that you care for to be what they choose for themselves without any insistence that they satisfy you." (Wayne Dyer)
"Don't allow yourself to become one of them." (Ralph Marston)
"The greatest mistake you can make in life is to be continually fearing you will make one. Freedom is not worth having if it does not include the freedom to allow mistakes." (Mahatma Gandhi)
Etymology
The word "allow" has a fascinating history, starting way back in the Middle English period (roughly 1150-1500). It came into English from Anglo-Norman French (a dialect of Old French spoken in England after the Norman Conquest).
The interesting part is that the French word it came from, "alouer" or "allouer," actually had two main meanings that eventually merged to form our modern "allow":
To praise or commend: This came from the Latin word "allaudāre," which literally meant "to praise highly." So, originally, to "allow" something could mean to approve of it or think highly of it.
To assign or allocate: This meaning came from the Latin word "allocāre," which meant "to place" or "to assign." This is where the idea of setting aside a portion or giving something its rightful place comes from.
So, the first known uses and meanings of "allow" in English, dating back to before 1325, reflected this dual origin. It could mean:
To praise or approve of something. You might "allow" someone's actions, meaning you thought they were good or right.
To recognize something as valid or legally acceptable. This is where the legal sense of "allowing a claim" or "allowing an appeal" comes from.
To take something into account or give credit for it. This meaning is still seen in phrases like "allow for contingencies" in a budget.
Over time, the meaning of "giving permission" or "permitting" became the most common and dominant sense of "allow" that we use today. But it's neat to see how its roots involved both approval/praise and allocation/recognition!
Phrases + Idioms Containing Allow
Allow for: To take into consideration or make provision for something.
Allow me: A polite way of offering help or permission, often used when opening a door or assisting someone.
Allow a margin: To provide extra space, time, or resources to account for potential variations or errors.
Allow oneself to: To permit oneself to experience or do something.
Allow access: To grant permission to enter or use something.
Allow a second chance: To give someone another opportunity after a previous failure or mistake.
Not allow a word in edgewise: (Common idiom, though slightly less direct use of "allow") To be unable to contribute to a conversation because someone else is talking too much. (Here, it's about not being allowed to speak).
To get an allowance: (Phrase using the noun form "allowance" derived from "allow") To receive a regular sum of money, often from parents.
To make allowances for: To take into consideration someone's difficulties or weaknesses when judging them.
Allow the dust to settle: (Idiom, though sometimes phrased as "let the dust settle") To wait for a situation to calm down after an upheaval.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of allow from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
