disallow, v.
(dɪsəˈlaʊ)
Forms: 4–5 desalowe, 4–6 dis-, 6 dysalowe, dissalow, 6– disallow.
[a. OF. desaloue-r, disalower to blame, etc. (in Godef.), f. des-, dis- 4 + alouer allow. In med. (Anglo) L. disallocāre: see Du Cange.]
To refuse to allow (in various senses).
† 1. trans. To refuse to laud, praise, or commend; to discommend, to blame. See allow I. 1.
| 1393 Gower Conf. I. 83 This vice of Inobedience..he des⁓alloweþ. c 1430 Pilgr. Lyf Manhode iv. xxix. (1869) 191 Nouht þat I wole blame it ne despeise it ne disalowe it. 1510 Barclay Mirr. Gd. Manners (1570) G j, Both is like errour which wise men disalowe. 1573 G. Harvey Letter-bk. (Camden) 7, I praefer Tulli before Caesar in writing Latin; do I therefore disable or disalow Caesar? 1612 T. Taylor Comm. Titus iii. 1 According to their care herein haue they been commended or disallowed in the Scriptures. 1656 Cowley Prologue to Guardian, Who says the Times do Learning disallow? 'Tis false; 'twas never Honour'd so as Now. |
2. To refuse to approve or sanction; to disapprove of: see allow I. 2. arch.
| 1494 Fabyan Chron. vii. 616 Whiche conclucion was after disalowyd. 1540 Act 32 Hen. VIII, c. 46 The auditors general..shal haue auctority to examin thaccomptes..and to allowe and disalow all that shal be reasonable. 1552 Bury Wills (1850) 141 Furthermore I denull, disalow, and sett att nothing all former wills and testaments which I have made. 1673 Ray Journ. Low C. Glaris 436 Though they..do take liberty to..use..sports and exercises upon the Lords day, yet most of their ministers disallow it. a 1745 Swift (J.), It was known that the most eminent of those who professed his own principles, publickly disallowed his proceedings. 1892 Pall Mall G. 7 Sept. 6/2 The auditor also disallowed the refreshments the committee had, which..amounted to 9s. 6½d. each. |
† b. intr. with of. To refuse approval of. Obs.
| 1576 Fleming Panopl. Epist. 44, I..might in no wise disallow of his doings: for he was very circumspect..in his master's businesse. 1649 Milton Eikon. xiv. (1851) 448 He returnes againe to disallow of that Reformation which the Covnant vowes. 1681 J. Chetham Angler's Vade-m. xxviii. §3 (1689) 164 Others disallow thereof. |
† 3. To refuse to accept with approval; to reject, disown. Obs.
| 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. xiv. 130 For þei [the rich] han her hyre here . an heuene as it were..And whan he deyeth, ben disalowed. 1413 Pilgr. Sowle (Caxton) i. xiii. (1859) 9 Sithen that he come to yeres of discrecyon, this laboure he hath in dede disalowid. 1526–34 Tindale 1 Pet. ii. 4 A livynge stone disalowed of men, but chosen of god and precious. 1660 Stanley Hist. Philos. ix. (1701) 435/1 [tr. Archytas] The fates of young and old together croud, No head is disallow'd By merciless Proserpina. |
† b. intr. with of. Obs.
| 1576 Fleming Panopl. Epist. 422 Wee ought not..to disalowe of what soever is appointed us by Gods good providence. 1595 Shakes. John i. i. 16 What followes if we disallow of this? |
4. To refuse to accept as reasonable, true, or valid; to refuse to admit (intellectually). See allow II. 4.
| c 1399 Pol. Poems (Rolls) II. 11 Every child is holden for to bowe Unto the modir..Or elles he mot reson desalowe. 1583 Exec. for Treason (1675) 37 Who with common reason can disallow that her Majesty used her principal Authority? 1692 Ray Dissol. World iii. v. §3. 135 This whole Hypothesis [of Des Cartes] I do utterly disallow and reject. 1778 F. Burney Evelina Ded. (1784) 10 His influence is universally disallowed. 1841 Myers Cath. Th. iii. §40. 145 By disallowing any human element..we are deprived at once of much feeling of sympathy with the writers of the Bible. |
5. To refuse to acknowledge or grant (some claim, right, or privilege), or to accede to (some request or suggestion); to reject.
| a 1555 Latimer Serm. & Rem. (1845) 11, I must not suffer the devil to have the victory over me..I must disallow his instinctions and suggestions. 1698 Fryer Acc. E. India & P. 275 Use Christian Liberty in respect of Matrimony, it being disallowed none but the Vortobeeds. 1786 T. Jefferson Writ. (1859) II. 1 To discuss the propriety of his charges, and to allow or disallow them as you pleased. 1841 James Brigand xxii, Your claim upon her hand is already disallowed. |
6. To refuse to allow or permit; to forbid the use of, to prohibit.
| 1563 Homilies ii. Agst. Excess Apparel (1859) 308 The abuses thereof, which he forbiddeth and disalloweth. 1568 Form Submission Papists in Strype Ann. Ref. I. li. 549 Nor willingly suffer any such..to offend, whom I may reasonably let, or disallow. a 1600 Hooker (J.), God doth in converts, being married, allow continuance with infidels, and yet disallow that the faithful, when they are free, should enter into bonds of wedlock with such. 1621 Burton Anat. Mel. i. ii. ii. iv, He utterly disallowes all hote Bathes in melancholy. a 1654 Selden Table-T. (Arb.) 30 If he disallows a book it must not be brought into the Kingdom. 1713 Bentley Freethinking xi. (R.), They disallow'd self defence, second marriages, and usury. 1831 Coleridge Table-t. 27 Oct., Advocates, men whose duty it ought to be to know what the law allows and disallows. 1854 Lowell Camb. Thirty Y. Ago Prose Wks. 1890 I. 96 The great collar disallowing any independent, rotation of the head..he used to turn his whole person. |
b. Const. with inf., or † from and vbl. n.
| 1746 W. Horsley Fool (1748) II. 54 If a poor Barber shall be disallowed from taking Money. 1868 Browning Ring & Bk. vi. 38, I being disallowed to interfere, Meddle, or make in a matter none of mine. 1887 Pall Mall G. 23 June 12/1 A law of the trade which disallowed an employer to take more than one apprentice at a time. |
Hence disaˈllowed ppl. a., disaˈllowing vbl. n. and ppl. a.
| 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. xiv. 139 Nouȝt to fonge bifore . for drede of disalowynge. c 1555 Harpsfield Divorce Hen. VIII (Camden) 195 The public judgment of certain universities for the disproving and disallowing of his first marriage. 1637 Gillespie Eng. Pop. Cerem. ii. ix. 53 To practise the Ceremonies, with a doubting and dissalowing conscience. 1818 Jas. Mill Brit. India III. ii. 79 The objection..was founded upon a disallowed assumption. 1884 Pall Mall G. 12 Feb. 11/2 If the House went on voting disallowing motions for ever, Mr. Bradlaugh would still be one ahead. |