[ad. L. coalitiōn-em, sb. of action f. coalescĕre to COALESCE. (In mod.Fr.: not in Cotgr. 1611.) Originally = coalescence; but now commonly distinguished and used as in 4.]
† 1. The growing together of parts, coalescence.
1612. Brerewood, Lang. & Relig., xxv. 223. The Deity and Humanity, by coalition becoming one nature in Christ.
1667. Boyle, Orig. Formes & Qual., 61. The Coalition of several Corpuscles into one visible Body.
1767. Gooch, Treat. Wounds, I. 104. The urine, running out of the wound when it happens to penetrate the pelvis of the kidney, may prove an obstacle to its coalition.
2. Union into one mass or body; combination.
1620. Bp. J. King, Serm., 17. Sion and Jerusalem … by an easie coalition in Scripture … may stand for one.
1656. Trapp, Comm. 1 Cor. vi. 15. Water and oil violently shaken together may seem to mingle, but … there is no coalition.
1834. Whewell, in Todhunter, Acc. W.’s Writings (1876), II. 182. I am puzzled to combine these … without so much coalition of vowels as will startle your readers.
1864. Lowell, Fireside Trav., 7. They come within each other’s sphere of attraction, and, with instantaneous coalition, form a new product.
3. Union, combination, fusion (of parties, principles, interests, etc.).
c. 1645. Howell, Lett. (1650), II. 10. A scorned, squandered people all the earth over, being ever since incapable of any coalition or reducement into one body politic.
1699. Luttrell, Brief Rel. (1857), IV. 473. The old East India company have agreed this day to a resolution for a coalition with the new company.
1779–81. Johnson, L. P., Pope, Wks. IV. 73. That coalition of interests which makes the happiness of a country.
4. esp. in politics. An alliance for combined action of distinct parties, persons, or states, without permanent incorporation into one body.
1715. N. Castleton (title), An Essay towards a Coalition of Parties in Great Britain.
1736. Bolingbroke, Patriot. (1749), 250. A great advance towards this union was the coalition of parties.
1749. Ld. Auckland, Corr. (1862), III. 220. I am sick of coalitions, royal, military or ministerial.
1825. T. Jefferson, Autobiog., Wks. 1859, I. 104. Leading Patriots … sensible of the necessity of effecting a coalition by mutual sacrifices.
1858. Froude, Hist. Eng., III. xvii. 473. The impossibility of a genuine coalition between Charles and Francis.
1866. Ld. Derby, in Daily News, 10 July, 2/2. A government by coalition intimates on the part of those who coalesce, to a greater or less degree, the sacrifice of their own individual principles and opinions for the purpose of obtaining greater political strength, and there is always something repugnant to the feelings of Englishmen in having to sacrifice their principles or opinions from motives of expediency.
b. attrib.
1817. Coleridge, Lay Serm., 422. That Coalition system in Christianity, for the expression of which theologians have invented or appropriated the term Syncretism.
1851. Ht. Martineau, Hist. Peace (1877), III. IV. xii. 28. The King’s desire was for a coalition ministry.
Hence Coalitional, of or pertaining to a coalition. Coalitioner, one who forms or belongs to a coalition. Coalitioning, the forming of a coalition. Coalitionist, an adherent or supporter of a coalition.
1785. (title) Coalitional Rencontre Anticipated; a Poetical Dialogue.
1818. Byron, Lett., in Moore, Life (1860), 380/2. But compare him with the coalitioner Fox, and the pensioner Burke.
1850. Carlyle, Latter-d. Pamph., i. 11. All fighting and campaigning and coalitioning … is hopeless and superfluous.
1784. (title) The Coalitionist.
1807. W. Taylor, in Robberds, Mem., II. 197. The county sends two coalitionists.
1864. Realm, 30 March, 4. Never had a band of Ministers a greater chance of conciliating a lasting popularity than the Coalitionists of 1859.
