ally
Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary
Part or all of this page has been imported from the 1913 edition of Webster’s Dictionary, which is now free of copyright and hence in the public domain. The imported definitions may be significantly out of date, and any more recent senses may be completely missing.
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[edit] English
[edit] Etymology
From Old English alien, Old French alier (French alier), from Latin alligare (“‘to bind to’”), from ad (“‘to’”) + ligare (“‘to bind’”). Compare alligate, allay, alloy and ligament.
[edit] Pronunciation 1
[edit] Verb
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Infinitive |
Third person singular |
Simple past |
Past participle |
Present participle |
to ally (third-person singular simple present allies, present participle allying, simple past and past participle allied)
- (transitive) To unite, or form a connection between, as between families by marriage, or between princes and states by treaty, league, or confederacy
- O chief! in blood, and now in arms allied. -- Alexander Pope.
- (transitive) To connect or form a relation between by similitude, resemblance, friendship, or love.
- These three did love each other dearly well, And with so firm affection were allied. --Edmund Spenser.
- The virtue nearest to our vice allied. --Alexander Pope.
[edit] Usage notes
- Generally used in the passive form or reflexively.
- Often followed by to or with.
[edit] Synonyms
[edit] Translations
unite by agreement
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Translations to be checked
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[edit] Pronunciation 2
[edit] Noun
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Singular |
Plural |
ally (plural allies)
- One united to another by treaty or league; — usually applied to sovereigns or states; a confederate.
- The German soldiers and their Russian allies. -- Thomas Babington Macaulay.
- Anything associated with another as a helper; an auxiliary.
- Science, instead of being the enemy of religion, becomes its ally. --Buckle.
- Anything akin to another by structure, etc.
[edit] Translations
Anything associated with another as a helper; an auxiliary
Anything akin to another by structure, etc
- Bulgarian: съюзник
- Chinese: 盟友 (méng yǒu)
- Czech: spojenec cs(cs) m.
- Dutch: bondgenoot m. (1)
- Esperanto: aliancano eo(eo)
- Finnish: liittolainen (1)
- German: Alliierte de(de) m.
- Ancient Greek: σʋμμaχoς
- Japanese: 味方 (mikata); 同盟国 (dōmeikoku)
- Portuguese: aliado pt(pt)
- Russian: союзник ru(ru) (sojúznik) m.
- Slovak: spojenec sk(sk) m.
- Spanish: aliado es(es) m.
[edit] Related terms
[edit] References
- ally in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
