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allowable

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary

English

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Etymology

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From Middle English allowable, alowable, a borrowing from Old French alouable (Modern French allouable), from allouer.

Pronunciation

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Adjective

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allowable (comparative more allowable, superlative most allowable)

  1. Appropriate; satisfactory; acceptable.
  2. Intellectually admissible; valid; probable.
  3. Able to be added or deducted in consideration of something.
  4. Permissible; tolerable; legitimate.
    • 1650, Thomas Browne, Pseudodoxia Epidemica: [], 2nd edition, London: [] A[braham] Miller, for Edw[ard] Dod and Nath[aniel] Ekins, [], →OCLC:
      And first, although there were more things in nature then words which did expresse them, yet even in these mute and silent discourses, to expresse complexed significations, they took a liberty to compound and piece together creatures of allowable formes unto mixtures inexistent []
  5. (obsolete) Praiseworthy.

Synonyms

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Derived terms

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Noun

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allowable (plural allowables)

  1. A permitted amount or activity.