assign vs allocate

assign and allocate both are verbs.

Word	Noun	Adjective	Verb	Adverb
assign	No	No	Yes	No
allocate	No	No	Yes	No

As verbs, allocate is a hyponym of assign; that is, allocate is a word with a more specific, narrower meaning than assign:

Other hyponyms of assign include allow, appropriate, earmark, reserve, set aside, apportion.

assign (verb)	allocate (verb)
select something or someone for a specific purpose	distribute according to a plan or set apart for a special purpose
attribute or credit to
decide as to where something belongs in a scheme
attribute or give
transfer one's right to
give out
make undue claims to having
give an assignment to (a person) to a post, or assign a task to (a person)