subs. (Harrow School).—A boy’s weekly allowance.
Verb. (chiefly dialectical and colloquial American).—To admit, declare, intend, think.
1580. BARET, An Alvearie, or Triple Dictionarie in English, Latin, and French, A 297. To ALOWE, to make good or allowable, to declare to be true.
1843. B. R. HALL (‘Robert Carlton’) The New Purchase, I. 59. The lady of the cabin seemed kind, and … ‘ALLOWED’ we had better stop where we were.
1856. FARNHAM, California [BARTLETT]. Gentlemen from Arkansas … ‘ALLOWED’ that California was no better than other countries.
[?]. Dialect Ballad, ‘Tom Cladpole’s Journey to Lunnun.’
| He ’LOWED he’d ge me half a crown, | |
| An treat me wud some beer. |
1871. W. D. HOWELL, Suburban Sketches, 58. He said he ALLOWED to work it out.
1872. C. KING, Mountaineering in the Sierra Nevada, v. 98. I ALLOW you have killed your coon in your day?
1875. PARISH, A Dictionary of the Sussex Dialect, 13. Master Nappet he ALLOWED that it was almost too bad!
1880. J. C. HARRIS, Uncle Remus, 48. I ’LOW’D maybe dat I might ax you fur ter butt ’gin de tree. Ibid., 50. Brer Rabbit ’LOW he wuz on his way fer ter see Miss Meadows.
1880. JULIA SCHAYER, in Scribner’s Magazine, June, 293/2. I ’LOWED I’d make him sorry fur it, an’ I reckon I hev!
