allocate
/ˈæləkeɪt/ verb [T]Definition
› to give a particular amount of time, money, etc. to someone or something, so that it can be used in a particular way: allocate sth for sth We have allocated €50,000 for printing and mailings.allocate sth to sb/sth They allocated 3% of the advertising budget to newspaper ads.allocate capital/funds/money We need to allocate capital and resources more effectively.allocate time Salespeople should allocate time for work in each area of their business.
› to decide officially that something should be given to a particular person: You will be allocated 4,566 shares at the par value of 20p each.allocate sth among sb It is his job to decide how the responsibilities should be allocated among the different salespersons within the sales force.allocate sth to sb Federal agencies are required to set goals for allocating a certain percentage of jobs to small companies.
› ACCOUNTING to decide where to put a particular cost or amount in a company's accounts: allocate sth to sth The initial amounts received from customers or subscribers should be allocated to two liability accounts.
(Definition of allocate verb from the Cambridge Business English Dictionary
© Cambridge University Press)
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