Library / English Dictionary

ALLOW

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Allow or plan for a certain possibility; concede the truth or validity of something

Example:

The seamstress planned for 5% shrinkage after the first wash

Synonyms:

allow; take into account

Classified under:

Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting

Hypernyms (to "allow" is one way to...):

calculate; count on; estimate; figure; forecast; reckon (judge to be probable)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "allow"):

budget for (calculate enough money for; provide for in the budget)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody to INFINITIVE

Derivation:

allowable (deserving to be allowed or considered)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Give or assign a resource to a particular person or cause

Example:

She sets aside time for meditation every day

Synonyms:

allow; appropriate; earmark; reserve; set aside

Classified under:

Verbs of thinking, judging, analyzing, doubting

Hypernyms (to "allow" is one way to...):

allot; assign; portion (give out)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s something to somebody

Derivation:

allowance (an amount allowed or granted (as during a given period))

Sense 3

Meaning:

Consent to, give permission

Example:

I cannot allow you to see your exam

Synonyms:

allow; countenance; let; permit

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Hypernyms (to "allow" is one way to...):

accept; consent; go for (give an affirmative reply to; respond favorably to)

Verb group:

allow; grant (let have)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "allow"):

abide; bear; brook; digest; endure; put up; stand; stick out; stomach; suffer; support; tolerate (put up with something or somebody unpleasant)

furlough (grant a leave to)

give (allow to have or take)

allow; permit; tolerate (allow the presence of or allow (an activity) without opposing or prohibiting)

authorise; authorize; clear; pass (grant authorization or clearance for)

admit; include; let in (allow participation in or the right to be part of; permit to exercise the rights, functions, and responsibilities of)

favor; favour; privilege (bestow a privilege upon)

decriminalise; decriminalize; legalise; legalize; legitimate; legitimatise; legitimatize; legitimise; legitimize (make legal)

trust (allow without fear)

admit; allow in; intromit; let in (allow to enter; grant entry to)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody to INFINITIVE

Sentence example:

They allow him to write the letter

Antonym:

disallow (command against)

Derivation:

allowable (deserving to be allowed or considered)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Allow the presence of or allow (an activity) without opposing or prohibiting

Example:

We cannot tolerate smoking in the hospital

Synonyms:

allow; permit; tolerate

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Hypernyms (to "allow" is one way to...):

allow; countenance; let; permit (consent to, give permission)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

Derivation:

allowance (the act of allowing)

allowance (a permissible difference; allowing some freedom to move within limits)

Sense 5

Meaning:

Let have

Example:

Mandela was allowed few visitors in prison

Synonyms:

allow; grant

Classified under:

Verbs of buying, selling, owning

Hypernyms (to "allow" is one way to...):

give (transfer possession of something concrete or abstract to somebody)

Verb group:

allow; countenance; let; permit (consent to, give permission)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "allow"):

vouchsafe (grant in a condescending manner)

allowance (put on a fixed allowance, as of food)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s somebody something

Antonym:

deny (refuse to let have)

Sense 6

Meaning:

Grant as a discount or in exchange

Example:

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

Classified under:

Verbs of buying, selling, owning

Hypernyms (to "allow" is one way to...):

discount (give a reduction in price on)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s somebody something

Sense 7

Meaning:

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

Example:

This will permit the rain to run off

Synonyms:

allow; let; permit

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "allow"):

pass (allow to go without comment or censure)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s somebody INFINITIVE
Something ----s INFINITIVE

Sense 8

Meaning:

Allow the other (baseball) team to score

Example:

give up a run

Synonyms:

allow; give up

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 9

Meaning:

Make a possibility or provide opportunity for; permit to be attainable or cause to remain

Example:

This procedure provides for lots of leeway

Synonyms:

allow; allow for; leave; provide

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Hypernyms (to "allow" is one way to...):

afford; give; yield (be the cause or source of)

Verb group:

admit; allow (afford possibility)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Sense 10

Meaning:

Afford possibility

Example:

This short story allows of several different interpretations

Synonyms:

admit; allow

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Verb group:

allow; allow for; leave; provide (make a possibility or provide opportunity for; permit to be attainable or cause to remain)

Sentence frame:

Something is ----ing PP

Derivation:

allowable (deserving to be allowed or considered)

Credits

 Context examples: 

The scientists developed simulations that allowed them to explore how disturbances like hurricanes would affect the birds over time.

(Coastal birds can weather the storm, but not the sea, National Science Foundation)

The combination of techniques has allowed the investigators to gain insights into processes that have a wide range of implications, for example, determining the subsurface water storage capacity in a region.

(Study explores how rock expands near soil surface in Sierra Nevada, National Science Foundation)

The pore allows free diffusion of molecules into and out of the cell and reduces cell viability.

(Activation of Membrane Attack Complex, NCI Thesaurus)

I believe you equal to every important exertion, and to every domestic forbearance, so long as—if I may be allowed the expression—so long as you have an object.

(Persuasion, by Jane Austen)

The cultured LCs are allowed to mature for one day and then electroporated separately with CT7, MAGE-A3 or WT1 mRNA before final maturation.

(Autologous CT7/MAGE-A3/WT1 mRNA-Electroporated Langerhans-Type Dendritic Cells, NCI Thesaurus)

Surgical fixation or immobilization of a joint, performed to allow bones to fuse or join together.

(Arthrodesis, NCI Thesaurus)

The tip is mounted on a flexible cantilever, allowing the tip to follow the surface profile.

(Atomic Resolution Microscopy, NCI Thesaurus)

They have the crown down at Hurlstone—though they had some legal bother and a considerable sum to pay before they were allowed to retain it.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

A pressurized dosage form consisting of metered dose valves which allow for the delivery of a uniform quantity of spray upon each activation.

(Metered Aerosol Dosage Form, NCI Thesaurus/CDISC)

The administration of the melphalan-flufenamide prodrug allows for enhanced efficacy and reduced toxicity compared to melphalan alone.

(Melphalan-Flufenamide Prodrug, NCI Thesaurus)