Disallowed
/ˌdɪsəˈlaʊd/
Definitions
To refuse to permit; to deny acceptance or validity.
/ˌdɪsəˈlaʊd/
To refuse to allow something.
The teacher disallowed the use of mobile phones during the exam.
💡 Simply: Imagine you're playing a game, and the rules say you can't do something. If the referee says 'disallowed,' it means you can't do it. Like, 'The umpire disallowed the home run because the runner missed the base.'
👶 For kids: It means to say NO to something.
More Examples
The rules of the competition disallowed any form of outside assistance.
The committee disallowed the proposed amendment due to its lack of clarity.
How It's Used
"The judge disallowed the evidence presented by the defense."
"The referee disallowed the goal due to a foul."
From Old English *ālyfan* ('to allow') with the prefix *dis-* ('not').
Used in legal and formal contexts since the 16th century to denote a prohibition or refusal.
Memory tip
Think of it as the opposite of allowing. You are saying 'no' to something.
Practice
Word Origin
Prefix: dis-