ally
UK/ˈælaɪ/US/'ælai. ә'lai/
NGSL 3kIELTSTOEFLB2
Definitions
n.
A person, group, or country joined with another for a common purpose
盟友；同盟国；支持者
v.
To join or unite with another for a shared aim
（使）结盟，联合
Root Breakdown
Native EnglishDespite sitting under the ali root here, ally actually comes from Latin alligare (ad- 'to' + ligare 'to bind') — to bind oneself to another. The connection to ali ('other') is a coincidence of spelling; the real root is lig ('bind'), the same as in ligament and league.
Root lig still carries 18 more wordsUsage Guide
Stress shifts: the noun is usually AL-ly (/ˈælaɪ/), while the verb is often a-LLY (/əˈlaɪ/). 'Ally with / ally oneself to' for the verb; 'a close ally of' for the noun.
Example Sentences
- 1.
Britain was a key ally during the war.
- 2.
The two parties allied to defeat the proposal.
- 3.
She allied herself with the reformers.