ally

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   A country or group that agrees to support another, especially in war or politics.

   The two countries were allies in World War I.

2. 2
   noun

   A person who supports and helps you.

   She found a good ally in her new manager.

3. 3
   verb

   To join with another for a shared aim.

   The smaller party allied itself with the government.

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 u…

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