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

see all synonyms and antonyms

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Other Economics Terms

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