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ally

verb
/ˈæl.aɪ/UK/ˈæl.aɪ/US/ˈæli//ˈæliː/

Etymology

From Middle English allien, alien (“to form an alliance, associate, join; to become an ally; to introduce (someone) as an ally; to marry; to become related (to someone); to attack, engage in combat; to combine; (cooking) to combine ingredients, especially to bind them together”) [and other forms], from Anglo-Norman alier, allier, Middle French alier, allier [and other forms], and Old French alier (“to join together, unite; to alloy (metals); (cooking) to combine ingredients”) (modern French allier), from Latin alligāre, the present active infinitive of alligō, adligō (“to bind around, to, or up (something), bandage, fasten, fetter, tie; to hold fast; to detain, hinder”), from al-, ad- (intensifying prefix) + ligō (“to bind, tie; to bandage, wrap around; to unite”) (from Proto-Indo-European *leyǵ- (“to bind, tie”)). Doublet of allay, alligate, alloy, and ligament.

  1. derived from alier
  2. derived from alier
  3. derived from alier
  4. derived from alliiet — “military or political ally”
  5. derived from allié
  6. derived from allié
  7. inherited from allie

Definitions

  1. To unite or form a connection between (people or things), as between families by…

    To unite or form a connection between (people or things), as between families by marriage, or between states by confederacy, league, or treaty.

    • Theſe three did loue each other dearely well, / And with ſo firme affection were allyde, / As if but one ſoule in them all did dvvell, / VVhich did her povvre into three parts diuyde; […]
    • [W]hen hee's remou'd, your Highneſſe / VVill take againe your Queene, as yours at firſt, / Euen for your Sonnes ſake, and thereby for ſealing / The Iniurie of Tongues, in Courts and Kingdomes / Knovvne, and ally'd to yours.
    • That this coniunction doth not ioyne the ſubſtances, but vniteth the affections, and allyeth the wils.

  2. Chiefly followed by to or with

    Chiefly followed by to or with: to connect or form a relation to (someone or something) by similarity in features or nature.

    • Yes in good ſooth, the vice is of a great kindred; it is vvell allied, but it is impoſſible to extirpe it quite, Frier, till eating and drinking be put dovvne.
    • Great VVits are ſure to Madneſs near ally'd; / And thin Partitions do their Bounds divide: […]
    • Thus Nature gives us (let it check our Pride) / The virtue neareſt to our Vice ally'd; / Reaſon the Byas turns to Good from Ill, / And Nero reigns a Titus, if he vvill.

  3. To join or unite (oneself or itself) against, with, etc., someone or something else.

    • [W]e have ſo many of our firſt Titled Families vvho have ally'd themſelves to Trade, (vvhoſe Inducements vvere Money only) that it ceaſes to be either a VVonder as to the Fact, or a Diſgrace to the Honour.
  4. ›+ 11 more definitions

    1. Chiefly followed by with

      Chiefly followed by with: to enter into an alliance or unite for a common aim.

      • [A]ftervvards he [Constantine the Great] allied vvith Licinius, and gave him his Siſter in marriage, and acknovvledged him his Colleague in the Empire.
      • Whatever injuries […] the Athenians have done me I forgive. […] If they will ally with me, rebuild the temples I have burnt.

    2. A person who co-operates with or helps another

      A person who co-operates with or helps another; an associate; a friend.

      • [N]o attempt is made to call in God to their reſcue, as if he vvere an idle unconcern'd ſpectator of humane affairs, or ſo inconſiderable an ally, as not to be vvorth the care of engaging him on their ſide.
      • The rights of the ſeven Electors were ſupported by all the deſcendants and allies of their powerful families, who ſhared in the ſplendor and influence, which they enjoyed by this diſtinguiſhing privilege.
      • […] Christy and his trusty ally, the one armed with a fowling piece, the other with an ancient blunderbuss, turned out as sentries to keep watch over this donjon keep.

    3. A person, group, state, etc., which is associated or united by treaty with another for a…

      A person, group, state, etc., which is associated or united by treaty with another for a common (especially military or political) purpose; a confederate.

      • The two countries were allies in World War I.
      • To be ſo ſcornefull to your alye⸝ / Your counſeyle was not worth a flye.

    4. Something regarded as connected with or related to another thing by similarity in…

      Something regarded as connected with or related to another thing by similarity in features or nature.

      • the pretty Pansy then Ile tye / Like Stones some Chaine inchasing, / And next to them their neere Alye, / The purple Violet placing.
      • The Aleptick art, and, its neereſt ally, Medicine, are deſign'd for the cure of bodies, reducing the faculties to the beſt harmony; […]
      • The frozen Earth lies buried there, belovv / A hilly heap, ſev'n Cubits deep in Snovv: / And all the VVeſt Allies of ſtormy Boreas blovv.

    5. A person, group, concept, etc., which is associated with another as a helper

      A person, group, concept, etc., which is associated with another as a helper; an auxiliary; a supporter.

      • [S]cience, instead of being the enemy of religion, becomes its ally.

    6. A kinsman or kinswoman

      A kinsman or kinswoman; a relative.

      • This Gentleman the Princes neere Alie. / My very frend hath tane this mortall vvound / In my behalfe, […]
      • Finally there was a quiet wedding at the Towers, […] The Sellerses were to go to England with their new allies for a brief visit, but when it was time to take the train from Washington, the colonel was missing.

    7. One's relatives

      One's relatives; kin, kindred, relations; also, relationship through descent or marriage; kinship.

      • The ſpider: as of vſe in talke new entrid, / (Frendes axe of frends: the ſtate of their frends frendly,) / Axte how his coſins (thants father and mother) did. / His brothers ſiſters with all kyn and aly, / Thant ſaid thei did well.

    8. People, groups, states, etc., which are associated or united with each other for a common…

      People, groups, states, etc., which are associated or united with each other for a common purpose; confederates; also, the state of being allied; alliance, confederation.

    9. Alternative spelling of alley (“a glass marble or taw”).

    10. A diminutive of the female given names Alice, Alison, Alexandra, or other names beginning…

      A diminutive of the female given names Alice, Alison, Alexandra, or other names beginning with Al-[[]], from the Germanic languages or Ancient Greek.

      • Where’s my Girle? What Ally? Ally? / Enter Alice.

    11. A diminutive of the male given names Alfred, Albert, Alan, Alexander, or other names…

      A diminutive of the male given names Alfred, Albert, Alan, Alexander, or other names beginning with Al-[[]], from the Germanic languages, the Celtic languages, or Ancient Greek.

      • Ally Love
      • Golden-hair'd Ally whose name is one with mine, Crazy with laughter and babble and earth's new wine

The neighborhood

Derived

alliable, allied, allying, disally, misally, re-ally, Allies, ally cookie, allyhood, allyless, allyship, coally, fern ally, nonally

Vish — recursive loop

A definitional loop anchored at ally. Each word in the ring is defined by the next; follow the chain far enough and it folds back on itself. Scroll to it and watch.

01ally02connect03attach04attached05joined06join07alliance08allying

A definitional loop anchored at ally. Each word in the ring appears in the definition of the next; follow the chain far enough and it folds back on itself.

8 hops · closes at ally

curated · pre-corpus. live cycle detection across the full graph is the next major milestone.

sense glosses and etymology drawn from English Wiktionary · source · CC-BY-SA