ally
To unite or form a connection between, as between families by marriage, or between…To unite or form a connection between (people or things), as between families by marriage, or between states by confederacy, league, or treaty.
Meaning
4 senses(transitive)To unite or form a connection between (people or things), as between families by marriage, or between states by confederacy, league, or treaty.
(transitive)Chiefly followed by to or with: to connect or form a relation to (someone or something) by similarity in features or nature.
(reflexive, transitive)To join or unite (oneself or itself) against, with, etc., someone or something else.
(intransitive)Chiefly followed by with: to enter into an alliance or unite for a common aim.
- become an ally or associate, as by a treaty or marriage
Examples
163 sentencesThey're my allies.
Вони мої союзники. — Ahha
ruОни мои союзники. — odexed
Enemies of enemies aren't always allies.
ruВраги наших врагов не всегда наши друзья. — marafon
deFeindesfeinde sind nicht immer Verbündete. — Pfirsichbaeumchen
Tom is one of my allies.
Tom and Mary are allies.
Germany was once allied with Italy.
Німеччина колись була в союзі з Італією. — Internecivus
Translations
4 languagesOrigin
From Middle English allien, alien (“to form an alliance, associate, join; to become an allFrom 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.
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Forms
allies, allying, allied, alliedSynonyms
1 synonymsWord family
9 related wordsLessons for this word
3 lessons- A1Present simple — Because it is a verb
- A1Past simple, regular verbs — Because of its past form
- A2Present perfect: introduction — Because of its past participle