Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Allow \Al*low"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Allowed}; p. pr. & vb. n.
   {Allowing}.] [OE. alouen, OF. alouer, aloer, aluer, F.
   allouer, fr. LL. allocare to admit as proved, to place, use;
   confused with OF. aloer, fr. L. allaudare to extol; ad +
   laudare to praise. See {Local}, and cf. {Allocate}, {Laud}.]
   1. To praise; to approve of; hence, to sanction. [Obs. or
      Archaic]

            Ye allow the deeds of your fathers.   --Luke xi. 48.

            We commend his pains, condemn his pride, allow his
            life, approve his learning.           --Fuller.

   2. To like; to be suited or pleased with. [Obs.]

            How allow you the model of these clothes?
                                                  --Massinger.

   3. To sanction; to invest; to intrust. [Obs.]

            Thou shalt be . . . allowed with absolute power.
                                                  --Shak.

   4. To grant, give, admit, accord, afford, or yield; to let
      one have; as, to allow a servant his liberty; to allow a
      free passage; to allow one day for rest.

            He was allowed about three hundred pounds a year.
                                                  --Macaulay.

   5. To own or acknowledge; to accept as true; to concede; to
      accede to an opinion; as, to allow a right; to allow a
      claim; to allow the truth of a proposition.

            I allow, with Mrs. Grundy and most moralists, that
            Miss Newcome's conduct . . . was highly
            reprehensible.                        --Thackeray.

   6. To grant (something) as a deduction or an addition; esp.
      to abate or deduct; as, to allow a sum for leakage.

   7. To grant license to; to permit; to consent to; as, to
      allow a son to be absent.

   Syn: To allot; assign; bestow; concede; admit; permit;
        suffer; tolerate. See {Permit}.

Allow \Al*low"\, v. i.
   To admit; to concede; to make allowance or abatement.

         Allowing still for the different ways of making it.
                                                  --Addison.

   {To allow of}, to permit; to admit. --Shak.

Source : WordNet®

allow
     v 1: 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"
          [syn: {let}, {permit}] [ant: {prevent}]
     2: 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" [syn: {permit},
         {let}, {countenance}] [ant: {forbid}, {forbid}]
     3: let have; "grant permission"; "Mandela was allowed few
        visitors in prison" [syn: {grant}] [ant: {deny}]
     4: give or assign a share of money or time to a particular
        person or cause; "I will earmark this money for your
        research" [syn: {appropriate}, {earmark}, {set aside}, {reserve}]
     5: 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" [syn: {leave},
         {allow for}, {provide}]
     6: 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" [syn: {take into account}]
     7: afford possibility; "This problem admits of no solution";
        "This short story allows of several different
        interpretations" [syn: {admit}]
     8: allow the other (baseball) team to score; "give up a run"
        [syn: {give up}]
     9: grant as a discount or in exchange; "The camera store owner
        allowed me $50 on my old camera"
     10: 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" [syn: {permit},
         {tolerate}]