"allow" in the verb sense
1. let, allow, permit
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"
2. permit, allow, let, countenance
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"
3. allow, grant
let have
"grant permission"
"Mandela was allowed few visitors in prison"
4. allow, appropriate, earmark, set aside, reserve
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"
5. leave, allow for, allow, provide
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"
6. allow, take into account
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"
7. admit, allow
afford possibility
"This problem admits of no solution"
"This short story allows of several different interpretations"
8. give up, allow
allow the other (baseball) team to score
"give up a run"
9. allow
grant as a discount or in exchange
"The camera store owner allowed me $50 on my old camera"
10. allow, permit, tolerate
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"
Source: WordNet® (An amazing lexical database of English)
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