Allow 
In Southern and Appalachian English, "allow" means to think, feel, suppose, or express an opinion - not just to permit. It’s a holdover from older English that survives in regional speech.
Allow
synonyms: think, feel, suppose, believe, say
Hillbilly Dude Says...
I didn't grow up hearing 'allowed' used in this way, but like some others - a couple counties over, it's common. Hillbilly Dude Says...
I didn't grow up hearing 'allowed' used in this way, but like some others - a couple counties over, it's common. Pronunciation
[UH-LOW] /əˈlaʊ/
Meaning & Usage
- To think, feel, or suppose (verb)
Elmer:
What did she allow about the new preacher?
What did she allow about the new preacher?
Estel:
She allowed he’d do just fine.
She allowed he’d do just fine.variations: reckon, figure, opine (regional synonyms)
★ Don’t confuse this with "allow" meaning "to permit." In Southern/Appalachian speech it often carries the older sense "to think or suppose." ★
Origin and Etymology
An older English usage meaning "to admit, acknowledge, think, or suppose." Preserved in Southern and Appalachian English from early settlers’ speech, especially Scots-Irish influences.
Usage Notes
- This older sense of "allow" appears in 19th-century literature and is still heard in rural parts of the South and Appalachia.
- Common in phrases like "He allowed as how"" or "She allowed it was too late."
- Distinct from "allow" meaning "to permit," which is its mainstream use today.
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How to Cite This Page
- APA (7th edition)The Hillbilly Dude. (2025, September 27). Allow. HillbillySlang.com. https://www.hillbillyslang.com/definitions/allow
- MLA (9th edition)"The Hillbilly Dude." "Allow." HillbillySlang.com, 27 Sept. 2025, https://www.hillbillyslang.com/definitions/allow.
- Chicago (17th edition)The Hillbilly Dude. "Allow." HillbillySlang.com. September 27, 2025. https://www.hillbillyslang.com/definitions/allow.
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