The hospitality and alms of abbeys is not altogether to be allowed, or dispraised.—Pilkington, The Burning of Paul’s, § 12.
Truly ye bear witness that ye allow [συνευδοκεῖτε] the deeds of your fathers.—Luke xi. 48. (A. V.)
A stirring dwarf we do allowance give
Before a sleeping giant.
Shakespeare, Troilus and Cressida, act ii. sc. 3.
Though I deplore your schism from the Catholic Church, yet I should bear false witness if I did not confess your decency, which I discerned at the holy duty, was very allowable in the consecrators and receivers.—Hacket, Life of Archbishop Williams, part ii. p. 211.
Amiable. This and ‘lovely’ have been so far differentiated that ‘amiable’ never expresses now any other than moral loveliness; which in ‘lovely’ is seldom or never implied. There was a time when ‘amiable’ had no such restricted use, when it and ‘lovely’ were absolutely synonymous, as, etymologically, they might claim still to be.
Come sit thee down upon this flow’ry bed,
While I thy amiable cheeks do coy.
Shakespeare, Midsummer Night’s Dream, act iv. sc. 1.