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📕 rednote ID(小红书号)：3881567312

Allow Meaning, Examples, and Usage Guide (2 meaning)

Meaning 1：permit (allow)

allow 🔊

/əˈlaʊ/

to say yes to someone doing something; to let it happen.

Teacher allowing student to show drawing in classroom

permit 🔊

➕

/pərˈmɪt/

To give consent or authorization for someone to do something, or to let something happen without preventing it.

📁 Category：School Education 🔖 Level：Elementary

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

From Latin 'allocare' (ad- + locare 'to place'), originally 'to assign'.

💡 Mnemonic

Imagine a judge saying 'I'll allow it!' with a nod, giving permission.

📖 Example

The new school policy will allow students to bring their pets on ‘Bring Your Pet to School Day’.（新校规将允许学生在‘带宠物上学日’带他们的宠物来。） 🔊 The new school policy will allow students to bring their pets on 'Bring Your Pet to School Day'.

🔗 Collocations

allow someone to do something – to give someone permission to perform an action

allow for – to take into consideration or make provision for

allow of – to permit or admit (formal)

🔄 Synonyms

permit (v.) – to officially allow something

let (v.) – to allow someone to do something, often informally

authorize (v.) – to give official permission for something

🚫 Antonyms

forbid (v.) – to refuse to allow something

prohibit (v.) – to officially forbid something

prevent (v.) – to stop something from happening

🌱 Derivatives

allowable (adj.) – that can be allowed; permissible

allowance (n.) – an amount of money given regularly or a permitted amount

allowedly (adv.) – admittedly; by general admission

📖 Cultural Story

In medieval English law, 'allow' was used to approve expenses, a usage still found in modern accounting and business.

Meaning 2：enable (allow)

allow 🔊

/əˈlaʊ/

to make something possible or to provide the opportunity for it.

Tablet enabling video call with multiple friends

enable 🔊

➕

/ɪˈneɪbəl/

To make something possible or feasible by providing the necessary conditions or means.

📁 Category：Technological Inventions 🔖 Level：Intermediate

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Example

This new software allows people from different countries to work on the same project in real time.（这款新软件使来自不同国家的人能够实时地在同一个项目上工作。） 🔊 This new software allows people from different countries to work on the same project in real time.

🔗 Collocations

allow someone to do something – to make it possible for someone to do something

allow for something – to consider or include something in planning

allow that – to concede or accept that something is true (formal)

🔄 Synonyms

enable (v.) – to make something possible or give the means to do it

facilitate (v.) – to make an action or process easier

permit (v.) – to allow something to happen (in this sense)

🚫 Antonyms

prevent (v.) – to stop something from happening

hinder (v.) – to create difficulties that delay or prevent

inhibit (v.) – to hinder or restrain a process