Definition of allow | Collins English Dictionary

allow (əˈlaʊ)

(tr) to permit (to do something); let
(tr) to set aside ⇒ five hours were allowed to do the job
(tr) to let enter or stay ⇒ they don't allow dogs
(tr) to acknowledge or concede (a point, claim, etc)
(tr) to let have; grant ⇒ he was allowed few visitors
(intr) foll by for to take into account ⇒ allow for delays
(intr) often foll by of to permit; admit ⇒ a question that allows of only one reply
(tr; may take a clause as object) US dialect to assert; maintain
(tr) archaic to approve; accept

C14: from Old French alouer, from Late Latin allaudāre to extol, influenced by Medieval Latin allocāre to assign, allocate

View thesaurus entry

= let, permit, sanction, entitle, authorize, license, tolerate, consent to countenance, concede to assent to give leave to give the green light for give a blank cheque to

British English: allow If someone is allowed to do something, it is all right for them to do it.The children are not allowed to watch violent TV programmes.əˈlaʊ VERB The children are not allowed to watch violent TV programmes.
Spanish: permitir v
French: autoriser v
German: erlauben v
Chinese: 允许 v
Arabic: يَسْمَحُ v
Portuguese: permitir v
Russian: позволять v
Croatian: dopustiti v
Czech: dovolit v dovolovat
Danish: tillade v
Dutch: toestaan v
Finnish: sallia v
Greek: επιτρέπω v
Italian: permettere v
Japanese: 許す v
Korean: 허락하다 v
Norwegian: tillate v
Polish: pozwolić v pozwalać
Brazilian Portuguese: permitir v
European Spanish: permitir v
Swedish: tillåta v
Thai: อนุญาต v
Turkish: izin vermek v
Vietnamese: cho phép v

A casket spray, thought Hollis, moving aside to allow the young man a clear passage through to the van.
Mark Mills, AMAGANSETT (2004)
A hard standing area off to the right will allow parking for approximately 3 cars.
Country Life (2004)
He says he intends to develop the site in future to allow people to express their condolences for other well-known people who pass away.
Irish Times (2002)
For military use the sophisticated equipment would allow trucks to operate without headlights in the dark.
Glasgow Herald (2001)
Palminteri refused all of them, since none would allow him to star.
John Baxter, DE NIRO: A Biography (2002)