allow

Meanings

1. To let someone do something, or to say that something is permitted.
2. To plan for something, as in allow time.

Example sentences

• "My parents do not allow me to stay out late."

  Level A2, Meaning 1

• "Dogs are not allowed in the restaurant."

  Level A1, Meaning 1

• "Allow two hours to get to the airport."

  Level B1, Meaning 2

• "The new rule allows students to use calculators."

  Level A2, Meaning 1

Synonyms and antonyms

Look-alikes and common mistakes

• permit : Permit is the formal word for allow. It is common on signs and in rules.
• let : Let is the casual word. Allow is a bit more formal and often about rules.

Word family and forms

Forms: allows, allowed, allowing

Word partners

Words and phrases that often go with "allow".

• allow someone to
• not allowed
• allow time
• be allowed to
• allow for
• smoking is not allowed

Idioms and phrases

allow for

To include something in your plans or calculations.

"We must allow for traffic when we plan the trip."

Origin

Allow came into English in the 1200s from Anglo-Norman allouer, which was a mix of two older words: one from Medieval Latin allaudare, to praise, and one from Latin allocare, to assign or place. The meaning of giving permission grew from the idea of assigning someone a right.

Checked against: Wiktionary, the free dictionary, Dictionary.com.

How to remember it

Allow rhymes with now and how. If you allow it, you say yes right now.

Test yourself

Learn next at A1

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