0

Can "allow for" mean "provide with", "make possible"?

This computer allows for complicated calculations. = provides us with the possibility to perform difficult calculations.

That boat allows for taking up more than 20 people. = provides us with the possibility to accommodate more than 20 people on the boat.

Or am I wrong?

1 Answer 1

1

Yes, in the examples given, "allow" = "provide" or "make possible".

Merriam-Webster shows "to make a possibility" for these examples.

In a close usage, "allow" may also means a constraint on what is possible. Example: "That boat allows 20 people" = provides the possibility of no more than 20 people.

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .