allowably

Also found in: Thesaurus, Legal, Idioms, Encyclopedia.

al·low

(ə-lou′)

v. al·lowed, al·low·ing, al·lows

v.tr.

1. To let do or happen; permit: We allow smoking only in restricted areas.

2. To permit the presence of: No pets are allowed inside.

3. To permit to have: allow oneself a little treat.

4. To make provision for; assign: The schedule allows time for a coffee break.

5. To plan for in case of need: allow two inches in the fabric for shrinkage.

6. To grant as a discount or in exchange: allowed me 20 dollars on my old typewriter.

7. Chiefly Southern & Midland US

a. To admit; concede: I allowed he was right.

b. To think; suppose: "We allow he's straight" (American Speech).

c. To assert; declare: Mother allowed that we'd better come in for dinner.

v.intr.

1. To offer a possibility; admit: The poem allows of several interpretations.

2. To take a possibility into account; make allowance: In calculating profit, retailers must allow for breakage and spoilage.

[Middle English allouen, to approve, permit, from Old French alouer, from Latin allaudāre, to praise (ad-, intensive pref.; see ad- + laudāre, to praise; see laud) and from Medieval Latin allocāre, to assign; see allocate.]

al·low′a·ble adj.

al·low′a·bly adv.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Switch to new thesaurus

Adv.

allowably - in a permissible manner

permissibly

Mentioned in ?

References in classic literature ?

Had she been tall, full formed, and fair, it might have been more of a trial: but as it was, there could be no comparison; and she was most allowably a sweet, pretty girl, while they were the finest young women in the country.

View in context

The agency also highlighted a Dear Colleague letter, identifying specific ways that districts can allowably and effectively use existing sources of federal funding for technology that can provide high-needs populations with personalized digital learning tools, and showcased a report sharing the initial experiences of four diverse school districts as they adopt personalized learning approaches.

Future ready districts

(18) These cases upheld formula clauses, finding that the value of the transfer was fixed as of the date of the transfer and that, as a result of an audit, the quantity of property that passed was allowably adjusted.