Definition: Allies

Etymology

From the Middle English ally, through the Old French alle (allied) from alier, which comes from the Latin alligare meaning to bind together.

Noun

allies

Plural of "ally"

1. A person who co-operates with or helps another; an associate; a friend.
2. A person who, or organization which, supports a demographic group subject to discrimination and/or misrepresentation but is not a member of the group.

   I’m glad you want to be a better ally to the disabled.

3. 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.

4. Something regarded as connected with or related to another thing by similarity in features or nature.
5. (taxonomy) An organism which is related to another organism through common evolutionary origin; specifically, a species which is closely related to another species, usually within the same family.

   The order of Gruiformes includes cranes and their allies.

Verb

allies

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

1. (transitive)
   1. To unite or form a connection between (people or things), as between families by marriage, or between states by confederacy, league, or treaty.
   2. Chiefly followed by to or with: to connect or form a relation to (someone or something) by similarity in features or nature.
2. (reflexive) To join or unite (oneself or itself) against, with, etc., someone or something else.
3. (intransitive) Chiefly followed by with: to enter into an alliance or unite for a common aim.

Usage notes

• The Allies (capitalized) often refers to the countries allied against the Nazi axis alliance during World War II, including France, Russia, Britain, and the US.

Credits

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