Definition of Allowance

A deduction, an average payment, a portion assigned or aliowed; the act of allowing.
—Allowance pendente lite. In the English chancery division, where property which forms the subject of proceedings is more than sufficient to answer nil clnims in the proceedings, the court may allow to the parties interested the whole or part of the income, or (in the case of personalty) part of the property itself. St. 15 & 16 Vict. c. 86, § 57; Daniell, Ch. Pr. 1070.
—Special allowances. In English practice. In taxing the costs of an action as between party and party, the taxing officer is, in certain cases, empowered to make special ni-lowances ; i. e., to allow the party costs which the ordinary scale does not warrant Sweet.