permit: The guards permitted me to bring my camera and tape recorder.
authorize: We are willing to authorize the president to use force if necessary.
enable: This enables young people to do a form of alternative service.
sanction: He may now be ready to sanction the use of force.
let: I love sweets but Mum doesn't let me have them very often.
al|low|able /əlaʊ əb ə l/
1 ADJ If people decide that something is allowable , they let it happen without trying to stop it. □ Capital punishment is allowable only under exceptional circumstances.
2 ADJ Allowable costs or expenses are amounts of money that you do not have to pay tax on. [BUSINESS ]
al|low|ance /əlaʊ əns/ (allowances )
1 N‑COUNT An allowance is money that is given to someone, usually on a regular basis, in order to help them pay for the things that they need. □ [+ of ] He lives on a single parent's allowance of £70 a week.
2 N‑COUNT [usu poss N ] A child's allowance is money that is given to him or her every week or every month by his or her parents. [mainly AM ] in BRIT, use pocket money 3 N‑COUNT Your tax allowance is the amount of money that you are allowed to earn before you have to start paying income tax. [BRIT ] □ …those earning less than the basic tax allowance. in AM, use personal exemption 4 N‑COUNT A particular type of allowance is an amount of something that you are allowed in particular circumstances. □ [+ of ] Most of our flights have a baggage allowance of 44lbs per passenger.
5 PHRASE If you make allowances for something, you take it into account in your decisions, plans, or actions. □ [+ for ] We'll make allowances in the schedule for time off.
6 PHRASE If you make allowances for someone, you accept behaviour which you would not normally accept or deal with them less severely than you would normally, because of a problem that they have. □ [+ for ] He's tired so I'll make allowances for him.
al|loy /æ lɔ I / (alloys ) N‑VAR An alloy is a metal that is made by mixing two or more types of metal together. □ [+ of ] Bronze is an alloy of copper and tin.
a ll-po werful ADJ An all-powerful person or organization has the power to do anything they want. □ …the all-powerful labour unions.
a ll-pu rpose ADJ [ADJ n] You use all-purpose to refer to things that have lots of different uses or can be used in lots of different situations. □ Use all-purpose flour if you cannot find pastry flour.
a ll ri ght ◆◆◇ in BRIT, also use alright 1 ADJ [v-link ADJ ] If you say that someone or something is all right , you mean that you find them satisfactory or acceptable. □ Is it all right with you if we go now? □ 'How was school?'—'It was all right.' ● ADJ [ADJ n] All right is also used before a noun. [INFORMAL ] □ He's an all right kind of guy really.
2 ADV [ADV after v] If you say that something happens or goes all right , you mean that it happens in a satisfactory or acceptable manner. □ Things have thankfully worked out all right.
3 ADJ [v-link ADJ ] If someone or something is all right , they are well or safe. □ All she's worried about is whether he is all right. □ Are you feeling all right now?
4 CONVENTION You say ' all right ' when you are agreeing to something. [FORMULAE ] □ 'I think you should go now.'—'All right.'.
5 CONVENTION You say ' all right? ' after you have given an instruction or explanation to someone when you are checking that they have understood what you have just said, or checking that they agree with or accept what you have just said. □ Peter, you get half the fees. All right?
6 CONVENTION If someone in a position of authority says ' all right ', and suggests talking about or doing something else, they are indicating that they want you to end one activity and start another. □ All right, Bob. You can go now.
7 CONVENTION You say ' all right ' during a discussion to show that you understand something that someone has just said, and to introduce a statement that relates to it. □ 'I'm a bit busy now.'—'All right, why don't I come back later?'
8 CONVENTION You say all right before a statement or question to indicate that you are challenging or threatening someone. □ All right, who are you and what are you doing in my office?
a ll-rou nd ◆◇◇ in AM, also use all-around 1 ADJ [ADJ n] An all-round person is good at a lot of different skills, academic subjects, or sports. □ He is a great all-round player.
2 ADJ [ADJ n] All-round means doing or relating to all aspects of a job or activity. □ He demonstrated the all-round skills of a quarterback.
a ll-rou nder (all-rounders ) N‑COUNT Someone who is an all-rounder is good at a lot of different skills, academic subjects, or sports. [BRIT ] □ I class myself as an all-rounder.
a ll-sea ter ADJ [usu ADJ n] An all-seater stadium has enough seats for all the audience, rather than having some areas without seats where people stand. [BRIT ]
a ll-si nging a ll-da ncing PHRASE If you describe something new as all-singing, all-dancing , you mean that it is very modern and advanced, with a lot of additional features; used especially to show that you think a lot of these features are silly or unnecessary. [HUMOROUS ] □ …the executive's new all-singing, all-dancing website.
all|spice /ɔː lspa I s/ N‑UNCOUNT Allspice is a powder used as a spice in cooking, which is made from the berries of a tropical American tree.