1. (v. t.) To praise; to approve of; hence, to sanction.

2. (v. t.) To like; to be suited or pleased with.

3. (v. t.) To sanction; to invest; to entrust.

4. (v. t.) 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.

5. (v. t.) 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.

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

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

8. (v. i.) To admit; to concede; to make allowance or abatement.