ally

See also: Ally and -ally

English

Part or all of this entry 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 The imported definitions may be significantly out of date, and any more recent senses may be completely missing.
(See the entry for ally in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.)

Etymology 1

From Middle English allien, alien, from Old French alier (Modern Old French allier), from Latin alligō (“to bind to”), from ad (“to”) + ligō (“to bind”). Compare alligate, allay, alloy and ligament.

Pronunciation
  • enPR: ăl'ī, IPA(key): /ˈæl.aɪ/ (noun, also used for the verb)[1]
  • enPR: əlī', IPA(key): /əˈlaɪ/ (verb, sometimes used for the noun)[2]
  • Rhymes: -aɪ

Verb

ally (third-person singular simple present allies, present participle allying, simple past and past participle allied)

  1. (transitive) To unite, or form a connection between, as between families by marriage, or between princes and states by treaty, league, or confederacy
    • (Can we date this quote?) Alexander Pope:
      O chief! in blood, and now in arms allied.
  2. (transitive) To connect or form a relation between by similitude, resemblance, friendship, or love.
    • (Can we date this quote?) Edmund Spenser:
      These three did love each other dearly well, And with so firm affection were allied.
    • (Can we date this quote?) Alexander Pope:
      The virtue nearest to our vice allied.
Usage notes
  • Generally used in the passive form or reflexively.
  • Often followed by to or with.
Synonyms
Translations
The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout#Translations.
Translations to be checked

Noun

ally (plural allies)

  1. One united to another by treaty or league; — usually applied to sovereigns or states; a confederate.
  2. Anything associated with another as a helper; an auxiliary.
    • (Can we date this quote?) Buckle:
      Science, instead of being the enemy of religion, becomes its ally.
  3. Anything akin to something else by structure, etc.
  4. (taxonomy) A closely related species, usually within the same family.
    Gruiformes — cranes and allies
  5. (obsolete) A relative; a kinsman.
Translations
The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout#Translations.
Translations to be checked

References
  1. “ally” in Merriam–Webster Online Dictionary.
  2. “ally” in Dictionary.com Unabridged, Dictionary.com, LLC, 1995–present.

Etymology 2

Diminutive of alabaster.

Noun

ally (plural allies)

  1. Alternative form of alley (a glass marble or taw)

References
  • ally in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.

Anagrams
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