a1402 J. Trevisa tr. R. Fitzralph Defensio Curatorum (Harl.) (1925) 76 (MED) Þei beþ y-holde to make restitucioun..for þe synne of þe allowyng & assenting..in grauntyng of þe priuyleges.

1572 T. Wilson Disc. Vsurye f. 73 I doe abhorre all toleracion of vsurie: much lesse will I euer yeld to any allowing of it at all, but rather I would wishe, that there were as straite lawes to forbid vsurie.

1670 J. Wilson Treat. Relig. & Governm. 126 From whence proceedeth their allowing of eating of flesh and fish promiscuously on all days of the year, but from gluttony?

1746 Scots Mag. July 202/1 The obtaining a law for the allowing of marriages between Patricians and Plebeians.

1787 County Mag. Feb. 216/3 The allowing of the importation of French brandy at a lower duty, would give to France a considerable boon.

1851 H. N. Hudson in W. Shakespeare Wks. I. 171 Free beyond the allowings of modesty.

1855 Jrnl. Soc. Arts 6 Apr. 359/2 The allowing of those channels of air to come in communication with each other..was the cause of the disease called the blue disease.

1901 Junior Munsey Nov. 283/2 This allowing of tradespeople and common citizens a place in your majesty's audience chamber is..unwise.

1925 L. E. H. Whitby Nurses' Handbk. Hygiene 147 Perflation,..the allowing of fresh air to blow directly through a room.

2001 D. Z. Phillips Relig & Hermeneutics of Contempl. iii. 62 Creation can be seen as an act of abdication, an allowing of human life which involves the possibility of disasters such as those which befell Job.

R. Misyn tr. R. Rolle Fire of Love 74 (MED) Oft þai erre in þer allowyng [L. approbacionibus].

1490 Arte & Crafte to knowe well to Dye (Caxton) sig. Ai The allowynge or praysynge of the deth.

1551 W. Turner New Herball Ded. 1 This commendacyon and alowyng of Physicions and Phisick in this playn and expressed wordes.

1576 A. Fleming tr. C. Longolius in Panoplie Epist. 408 I might giue you a signification, of my good lyking and wel allowing of your endeuour in Tullies works employed.

1615 R. Rogers Comm. Bk. Judges lxvi. 561 Receiuing from him these smaller things againe, in token of his allowing and approouing of vs.

a1632 T. Taylor Christs Victorie over Dragon (1633) 706 By taking pleasure in unrighteousnesse is meant..Not a willing of their sins only, but a liking and allowing of them.

1598 J. Florio Worlde of Wordes Ammessione, an admission, an allowing.

1693 J. Locke Some Thoughts conc. Educ. §180. 228 Prejudice..often leaves no room for the admittance of Spirits, or the allowing any such things, as immaterial Beings, in rerum natura.

1724 T. Townsend tr. A. de Solis Hist. Conquest Mexico iv. xvii. 231 To which Appellation [sc. Necromancer] he answer'd without the least Concern; esteeming that Epithet as an allowing of his Abilities.

1842 Ladies' Repository Jan. 23/2 The allowings—not concedings—of this writer are almost identical with those of the last named.

1907 R. H. Benson Mirror of Shalott v. 150 That would be a kind of surrender on my part—an allowing to myself that there was something to fear.

1998 L. L. Miller Spring Water (1999) 116 ‘You don't need me to protect you.’ She knew it was supposed to be a compliment, his allowing that she could take care of herself.

1618 A. Munday Stow's Suruay of London (new ed.) 196 He gaue more to the said Hospitall, 100. li. for the allowing of 50. s. yeerely euery Easter day, that the poore children may then eate roast meate.

1620 R. Whitbourne Disc. & Discov. New-found-land 25 The allowing of men to be made proportionably from euery ship, wil soone raise many people to be settled in euery Harbour where our Nation vseth to fish.

a1675 J. Lightfoot Wks. (1684) I. 142 We observed the like necessary allowing of seventeen years to Joshua, upon the result of a gross sum, where all the rest of the sum is cleared by particulars but only those seventeen.

1677 E. Coles Dict. Eng.-Lat. Allowing (giving), Exhibitio.

1773 in A. Wall Acct. Ceremonies Senate House Univ. Cambr. (1798) 214 The money arising from this small fund, is intended, partly for the allowing of something for the language-masters.

1861 Bankers' Mag. Apr. 256 The main evil with which they had to contend was the allowing of interest on current accounts and deposits.

1902 L. W. Betts Leaven in Great City viii. 253 The allowing of money for the pleasure of a fun-loving daughter.

1926 Billings (Montana) Gaz. 24 June 2/5 The expense, included $355,950.66 for salaries of officers, allowings and office force generally.

1677 E. Coles Dict. Eng.-Lat. An Allowing in Reckoning, deductio.

1561 T. Norton tr. J. Calvin Inst. Christian Relig. iv. iv. f. 24^v The magistrate, and nobilitie, and the people approued it with their allowyng showte.

a1586 Sir P. Sidney Arcadia (1593) v. sig. Pp5^v Which many allowing tokens, was Euarchus speech heard.

a1616 W. Shakespeare Winter's Tale (1623) i. ii. 186 [She] armes her with the boldnesse of a Wife To her allowing Husband. View more context for this quotation

1850 M. F. Tupper tr. King Alfred's Poems x. 43 Death..obeys The Ruler of the sky, With even hand right swift to strike, At His allowing word, The rich man and the poor alike.

1987 S. Levine Healing into Life & Death xviii. 209 No words can describe the absolute joy and freedom and peace of an allowing mind.

2006 Western Morning News (Plymouth) (Nexis) 13 Jan. 7 Riders must ride forward into sitting trot with an allowing hand to let the horse go forwards into the bridle.