allow
/ə'lau/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Verb:
- To give permission for something to happen or for someone to do something: To permit or authorize an action or behavior.
- To admit or acknowledge the truth or existence of something: To concede or accept that something is the case.
- To provide or set aside a specific amount, especially of time, money, or resources: To allocate or make provision for something.
- To make something possible or provide an opportunity for it: To enable or afford a possibility.
Examples of Usage
- Verb:
- The teacher will allow students to use calculators on the test. (Permission)
- We must allow that the situation is more complex than we thought. (Acknowledgment)
- The budget allows $500 for office supplies. (Provision/Allocation)
- The new software allows for greater efficiency. (Making possible)
Advanced Usage
- "To allow for": To take into consideration; to make a plan or calculation that includes a particular factor.
- You should allow for traffic delays when planning your trip to the airport.
- "To allow of": (Formal) To permit or admit something as a possibility. Often used with abstract nouns.
- The rules do not allow of any exceptions.
- "Allow me": A polite phrase used to offer assistance or to perform an action for someone.
- Allow me to open the door for you.
Variants and Related Words
- Allowable (adj): Permissible, acceptable.
- The use of personal devices is not allowable in the secure area.
- Allowance (n): An amount of something that is permitted or allocated; a regular payment.
- She receives a monthly allowance for expenses.
Synonyms
- Permit: To give authorization or consent.
- Let: To not prevent or forbid.
- Authorize: To give official permission.
- Grant: To agree to give or allow.
Related Phrasal Verbs
- Allow in/into: To give permission for someone or something to enter a place.
- Dogs are not allowed into the restaurant.
- Allow out: To give permission for someone to leave a place.
- The prisoners are allowed out into the yard for one hour a day.
- Allow through: To give permission for someone or something to pass.
- The guard allowed the official vehicles through the checkpoint.
Related Idioms
- Allow nature to take its course: To not interfere with a natural process.
- The doctor advised us to allow nature to take its course and let the fever break on its own.
- Allow someone a free hand: To give someone complete freedom to act as they wish.
- The manager allowed her team a free hand in designing the new project.
Verb
- allow the presence of or allow (an activity) without opposing or prohibiting
- We don't allow dogs here
- Children are not permitted beyond this point
- We cannot tolerate smoking in the hospital
- grant as a discount or in exchange
- The camera store owner allowed me $50 on my old camera
- allow the other (baseball) team to score
- give up a run
- afford possibility
- This problem admits of no solution
- This short story allows of several different interpretations
- allow or plan for a certain possibility; concede the truth or validity of something
- I allow for this possibility
- The seamstress planned for 5% shrinkage after the first wash
- make a possibility or provide opportunity for; permit to be attainable or cause to remain
- This leaves no room for improvement
- The evidence allows only one conclusion
- allow for mistakes
- leave lots of time for the trip
- This procedure provides for lots of leeway
- give or assign a resource to a particular person or cause
- I will earmark this money for your research
- She sets aside time for meditation every day
- let have
- grant permission
- Mandela was allowed few visitors in prison
- consent to, give permission
- She permitted her son to visit her estranged husband
- I won't let the police search her basement
- I cannot allow you to see your exam
- make it possible through a specific action or lack of action for something to happen
- This permits the water to rush in
- This sealed door won't allow the water come into the basement
- This will permit the rain to run off