What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Allowance vs Permit - What's the difference?

allowance | permit |

In obsolete terms the difference between allowance and permit

is that allowance is license; indulgence while permit is formal permission.

As nouns the difference between allowance and permit

is that allowance is the act of allowing, granting, conceding, or admitting; authorization; permission; sanction; tolerance while permit is formal permission.

As verbs the difference between allowance and permit

is that allowance is to put upon a fixed allowance (especially of provisions and drink); to supply in a fixed and limited quantity while permit is to hand over, resign (something to someone).

allowance

Alternative forms

* allowaunce (obsolete)

Noun

(en noun)
  • The act of allowing, granting, conceding, or admitting; authorization; permission; sanction; tolerance.
  • * Without the king's will or the state's allowance. --
  • Acknowledgment.
  • * The censure of the which one must in your allowance overweigh a whole theater of others. --
  • That which is allowed; a share or portion allotted or granted; a sum granted as a reimbursement, a bounty, or as appropriate for any purpose; a stated quantity, as of food or drink; hence, a limited quantity of meat and drink, when provisions fall short.
  • * I can give the boy a handsome allowance. -- .
  • Abatement; deduction; the taking into account of mitigating circumstances; as, to make allowance for the inexperience of youth.
  • * After making the largest allowance for fraud. -- .
  • (commerce) A customary deduction from the gross weight of goods, different in different countries, such as tare and tret.
  • A child's allowance; pocket money.
  • She gives her daughters each an allowance of thirty dollars a month.
  • (minting) A permissible deviation in the fineness and weight of coins, owing to the difficulty in securing exact conformity to the standard prescribed by law.
  • (obsolete) approval; approbation
  • (Crabbe)
  • (obsolete) license; indulgence
  • (John Locke)

    Synonyms

    * (money) * (minting) (l), (l)

    Verb

    (allowanc)
  • To put upon a fixed allowance (especially of provisions and drink); to supply in a fixed and limited quantity.
  • The captain was obliged to allowance his crew.
    Our provisions were allowanced .

    permit

    English

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl) permitten, from (etyl) permettre, from (etyl) .

    Verb

    (permitt)
  • * (Joseph Addison) (1672-1719)
  • Let us not aggravate our sorrows, / But to the gods permit the event of things.
  • To allow (something) to happen, to give permission for.
  • *
  • , title=(The Celebrity), chapter=4 , passage=Mr. Cooke at once began a tirade against the residents of Asquith for permitting a sandy and generally disgraceful condition of the roads. So roundly did he vituperate the inn management in particular, and with such a loud flow of words, that I trembled lest he should be heard on the veranda.}}
  • * 1930 , "Presbytarians", Time , 19 Dec 1930:
  • Last week the decision on two points was conclusive: the Presbyterian Church in the U. S. A. will not permit' ordination of women as ministers, but will ' permit their election as ruling elders, permission which makes possible a woman as moderator.
  • To allow (someone) to do something; to give permission to.
  • * 2009 , Patricia Cohen, New York Times , 17 Jan 09, p. 1:
  • He was ultimately cleared, but during that period, Mr. Ackman said, his lawyers would not permit him to defend himself publicly.
  • To allow for, to make something possible.
  • * 2006 , Mary Riddell, "Trident is a Weapon of Mass Destruction", The Observer , 3 Dec 06:
  • What was left to say? Quite a lot, if only parliamentary time permitted .
  • * 2009 , John Mitchell, "Clubs Preview", The Guardian , 25 Jul 09:
  • For snackage there's a 1950s-themed diner plus a barbie on the terrace, weather permitting .
  • To allow, to admit (of).
  • * 1910 , , "Reginald in Russia", Reginald in Russia :
  • ‘You English are always so frivolous,’ said the Princess. ‘In Russia we have too many troubles to permit of our being light-hearted.’
  • * 2007 , Ian Jack, The Guardian , 22 Sep 07:
  • "As an instrument of economic policy, incantation does not permit of minor doubts or scruples."
  • (pronounced like noun) To grant formal authorization for (something).
  • (pronounced like noun) To attempt to obtain or succeed in obtaining formal authorization for (something).
  • Usage notes
    * This is a catenative verb that in the active form takes the gerund (-ing)'', but in passive takes the ''to infinitive . See

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (obsolete) Formal permission.
  • An artifact or document rendering something allowed or legal.
  • A construction permit can be obtained from the town offices.
    Go over to the park office and get a permit for the
  • 3 shelter.
  • Etymology 2

    An irregular borrowing from (etyl) (m), probably from a Doric variant of (etyl) .

    Noun

    (en-noun)
  • A pompano of the species .
  • See also
    * * (Trachinotus) ----