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.

Permit vs Allow - What's the difference?

permit | allow |

Allow is a synonym of permit.

Allow is a romanization of permit.



In transitive terms the difference between permit and allow

is that permit is to allow (someone) to do something; to give permission to while allow is to render physically possible.

In intransitive terms the difference between permit and allow

is that permit is to allow, to admit (of) while allow is to acknowledge or concede.

In obsolete terms the difference between permit and allow

is that permit is formal permission while allow is to sanction; to invest; to entrust.

As a noun permit

is formal permission.

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) ----

    allow

    English

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To grant, give, admit, accord, afford, or yield; to let one have.
  • * 2004 , Constance Garnett (translator), Anton Chekhov (Russian author), “Ariadne”, in The Darling: and Other Stories :
  • he needed a great deal of money, but his uncle only allowed him two thousand roubles a year, which was not enough, and for days together he would run about Moscow with his tongue out, as the saying is.
  • To acknowledge; to accept as true; to concede; to accede to an opinion.
  • * 1855 , (William Makepeace Thackeray), (The Newcomes)
  • I allow , with Mrs. Grundy and most moralists, that Miss Newcome's conductwas highly reprehensible.
  • To grant (something) as a deduction or an addition; especially to abate or deduct.
  • To grant license to; to permit; to consent to.
  • *
  • With fresh material, taxonomic conclusions are leavened by recognition that the material examined reflects the site it occupied; a herbarium packet gives one only a small fraction of the data desirable for sound conclusions. Herbarium material does not, indeed, allow one to extrapolate safely: what you see is what you get
  • To not bar or obstruct.
  • * {{quote-magazine, date=2013-07-26, author=(Leo Hickman)
  • , volume=189, issue=7, page=26, magazine=(The Guardian Weekly) , title= How algorithms rule the world , passage=The use of algorithms in policing is one example of their increasing influence on our lives. And, as their ubiquity spreads, so too does the debate around whether we should allow ourselves to become so reliant on them – and who, if anyone, is policing their use.}}
  • To acknowledge or concede.
  • * 2000 , (George RR Martin), A Storm of Swords , Bantam (2011), page 154:
  • Half the night passed before the wench allowed that it might be safe to stop.
  • To take into account by making an allowance.
  • When calculating a budget for a construction project, always allow for contingencies.
  • To render physically possible.
  • * 1824 , (Washington Irving), :
  • The inlet allowed a facility to bring the money in a boat secretly and at night to the very foot of the hill.
  • * {{quote-magazine, date=2013-06-01, volume=407, issue=8838
  • , page=13 (Technology Quarterly), magazine=(The Economist) , title= Ideas coming down the track , passage=A “moving platform” scheme
  • (obsolete) To praise; to approve of; hence, to sanction.
  • * Bible, Luke xi. 48
  • Ye allow the deeds of your fathers.
  • * Fuller
  • We commend his pains, condemn his pride, allow his life, approve his learning.
  • (obsolete) To sanction; to invest; to entrust.
  • * Shakespeare
  • Thou shalt be allowed with absolute power.
  • (obsolete) To like; to be suited or pleased with.
  • * Massinger
  • How allow you the model of these clothes?

    Synonyms

    * allot, assign, bestow, concede, admit, let, permit, suffer, tolerate

    Derived terms

    * allowance * allowable

    References

    *

    Statistics

    * English control verbs