The Greek verb allēgoreō means to speak or interpret allegorically — using one level of meaning to point to another. In the New Testament it appears once, in Paul's interpretation of the Hagar/Sarah story.
In Galatians 4:21–31, Paul says the story of Hagar and Sarah "may be interpreted allegorically" (allēgoreō) — seeing in the two women two covenants. Hagar represents Sinai and slavery; Sarah represents the covenant of promise and freedom. Paul is not denying the historical reality of these women but drawing out the theological significance embedded in the narrative. This apostolic hermeneutic — seeing Christ and the gospel in the Old Testament narratives — is the key to reading Scripture as one unified story.