From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishmake allowance/allowances (for somebody)make allowance/allowances (for somebody)LET/ALLOWto let someone behave in a way you do not normally approve of, because you know there are special reasons for their behaviour Dad’s under pressure – you have to make allowances. → allowance
Examples from the Corpus
make allowance/allowances (for somebody)• Remember my age and make allowance for it.• Of course he made allowances for error.• Those who claimed a break-even or loss situation did not make allowance for home produced food.• Gender-free testing may mean not making allowances for women.• Where it is necessary for any goods to be sent by post please make allowance for this in your remittance.• Despite all his efficient calculations Donald never seemed to make allowances for this.• The Crosby used to make allowances for time-wasting yahoos.• Once we make allowances for this formal difference, we can see that both accounts are making the same point. 