Allege Meaning
/əˈlɛd͡ʒ/Definition, CEFR level C1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
verbTo state under oath, to plead.
verbTo cite or quote an author or his work for or against.
Sentence Examples
I allege that you are wrong, so I don't want to say a word anymore.
What did Tom allege?
CEFR Practice Quiz
Prosecutors will ____ that the defendant stole company funds last year.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The victims ____ that the company was aware of the safety issues.
Word Origin & History
From Middle English aleggen, perhaps from Old French alleguer, or from Anglo-Norman aleger, the form perhaps from Old French esligier (“to acquit”), from Medieval Latin *exlītigāre (“to clear at law”), from Latin ex (“out”) + lītigō (“sue at law”), but the meaning from Old French alleguer, from Latin allēgāre (“send on a mission, depute; relate, mention, adduce”), from ad (“to”) + lēgō (“send”). See also al-.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"I will further alleage a storie[…]to make us palpably feele his naturall condition."
— 1603, Michel de Montaigne, chapter 39, in John Florio, transl., The Essayes […], book I, London: […] Val[entine] Simmes for Edward Blount […], →OCLC:
"and suffir never your soveraynté to be alledged with your subjects,"
— 1470–1485 (date produced), Thomas Malory, “(please specify the chapter)”, in [Le Morte Darthur], book V, [London: […] by William Caxton], published 31 July 1485, →OCLC; republished as H[einrich] Oskar Sommer, editor, Le Morte Darthur […], London: David Nutt, […], 1889, →OCLC:
"Hart that is inly hurt, is greatly eased / With hope of thing, that may allegge his smart[…]."
— 1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book III, Canto II”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC:
Explore More C1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
Prosecutors will ____ that the defendant stole company funds last year.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The victims ____ that the company was aware of the safety issues.