allowance

¹al·low·ance

noun \ə-ˈlau̇-ən(t)s\

Definition of ALLOWANCE

1

a : a share or portion allotted or granted

b : a sum granted as a reimbursement or bounty or for expenses <salary includes cost-of-living allowance>; especially : a sum regularly provided for personal or household expenses <each child has an allowance>

c : a fixed or available amount <provide an allowance of time for recreation>

d : a reduction from a list price or stated price <a trade-in allowance>

2

: an imposed handicap (as in a horse race)

3

: an allowed dimensional difference between mating parts of a machine

4

: the act of allowing : permission

5

: a taking into account of mitigating circumstances or contingencies <the plan makes no allowance for bad weather>

Examples of ALLOWANCE

1. a monthly allowance for household expenses
2. Each of their children gets a weekly allowance of five dollars.
3. the recommended daily allowance of vitamin C
4. the tax allowance for married couples
5. They performed poorly, but allowances should be made for their inexperience.

First Known Use of ALLOWANCE

14th century

Related to ALLOWANCE

Synonyms

allotment, share, cut, end, part, piece, portion, proportion, quota, slice, take

Antonyms

interdiction, prohibition, proscription

Related Words

lot, ration; commission, percentage; member, partition, section, segment

Near Antonyms

aggregate, composite, compound, pool, sum, total, totality; whole

Other Economics Terms

actuary, compound interest, globalization, indemnity, portfolio, rentier, stagflation, usurer

²allowance

transitive verb

allowancedallowanc·ing

Definition of ALLOWANCE

1

archaic : to put on a fixed allowance (as of food and drink)

2

archaic : to supply in a fixed or regular quantity

First Known Use of ALLOWANCE

1758