Allow as How 
In Southern and Appalachian English, "allow as how" means to say, think, or suppose something - a fuller, older form of "allow" used for conjecture or speculation.
synonyms: reckon, figure, suppose, said, opined
Hillbilly Dude Says...
'Allowed as how' is one I haven't heard in a really long time, so I'm assuming it's an old timers thing. Hillbilly Dude Says...
'Allowed as how' is one I haven't heard in a really long time, so I'm assuming it's an old timers thing. Pronunciation
[UH-LOW AZ HOW] /əˈlaʊ əz haʊ/
Meaning & Usage
- To suppose or state that something is the case (phrase)
Elmer:
He allowed as how the weather would turn before nightfall.
He allowed as how the weather would turn before nightfall.
Estel:
Well, he might be right about that.
Well, he might be right about that.variations: allowed as how
★ This phrase is an even older form than "allow" alone, keeping alive a 17th-18th century English usage that survived in Appalachian and Southern speech. ★
Origin and Etymology
From older English "allow" meaning "admit or suppose" combined with "as how" - a Scots-Irish influenced pattern brought to Appalachia. Widely attested in 19th-century U.S. literature and still heard in some Southern communities today.
Usage Notes
- Often appears in storytelling or reminiscing - "He allowed as how""
- May also be written "allowed as how."
- Less common today but still recognizable as a Southern/Appalachian dialect form.
- Closely related to allow meaning "to think or suppose."