To let one have as a suitable share of something.
What is allow?
• To present something as possible or reasonable.
• To permit, to give permission to.
• To not bar or obstruct.
• To acknowledge, accept the truth of; to concede; to accede to an opinion; to say something one agrees on in the context of a larger disagreement or reluctance.
• To grant (something) as a deduction or an addition; especially to abate or deduct.
• To make an allowance, to take into account when making plans.
• To render physically possible.
• To praise; to approve of; hence, to sanction.
• To sanction; to invest; to entrust.
• To like; to be suited or pleased with.
• To decide (a request) in favour of the party who raised it; to grant victory to a party regarding (a request).
• To forgo bothering with, to let slide.
Why allow matters
allow appears in U.S. legal practice across multiple practice areas. Knowing what it means — and when it applies — can determine the outcome of motions, filings, and negotiations. For non-lawyers, the value of looking up a precise definition is that legal terms often carry meanings that differ from everyday usage; relying on the common meaning can lead to costly missteps.
How allow works in practice
In practice, allow is invoked when parties, judges, or attorneys need to identify the legal status of an issue, the rights of those involved, or the procedural step required next. The definition shown above is sourced from Wiktionary , which is widely cited in U.S. legal practice. Because U.S. law is jurisdictionally layered — federal, state, and sometimes local — the precise application of the term can vary by court, so check the controlling authority for your specific case.