Other forms: allocated, allocating, allocates
To allocate is to divide money, time or resources officially between different uses. Allocate a budget, allocate places, funds were allocated.
It is the language of budgets, timetables and administration, and it implies a decision by somebody with authority — you allocate rather than merely give. The pattern is allocate something to somebody or something for a purpose. The noun is allocation, meaning both the act and the share allotted: your allocation of tickets. Note the near neighbours allot, which is more informal, and assign, which is about tasks rather than resources.
1verballocateTo divide money, time or resources officially between uses.
“Half the budget was allocated before the meeting started.”
synonyms: assign, apportion, allot
allocate is a way of dividing up.
Also accepted in games: assign
Medieval Latin allocare is ad-, to, plus locus, a place — to put in a place. Locate, local and location are the same root, so allocating a budget is giving each pound somewhere to go.
Latin
allocātus
English, today
allocate
Built from
From Latin allocātus, perfect passive participle of Latin allocō (see -ate), from ad- (“to”) + locō. a doublet of allow. by surface analysis, al- + locate.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA