Obs. Forms: 4–6 alaye, alaie, 5–6 aley, 6 alay, 6–7 alley, allaye, 7–8 allay. [a. ONFr. aley, alay (mod.Fr. aloi; med.L. alleium, alaium), f. aleier, alayer, aloyer: see ALLAY v.2 Confused in late OFr. with the phr. à loi ‘to law, to legal standard,’ which probably influenced senses 3, 6. See also ALLOY. Further confused in Eng. with ALLAY v.1]
I. Original sense; = ALLOY. lit. and fig.
1. Admixture of metals; esp. admixture with a baser metal. concr. A mixture of metals, a metallic compound.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Clerkes T., 1111. The gold of hem hath now so bad alayes [v.r. alayis, alaies, layes, laies] With bras.
1480. Pol. Rel. & L. Poems, 45. Trewe metalle requireth non alay.
a. 1626. Bacon, Physiol. Rem., in Spedding, Wks. 1861, VII. 398–9 (R.). Gold incorporates with copper in any proportion, the common allay…. Gold incorporates with tin, the ancient allay.
1641. Termes de la Ley, 19. Allay is the temper or mixture of gold and silver with baser mettall.
1675. Phil. Trans., X. 346. As many mixtures or degrees of allay as you think fit.
1719. D’Urfey, Pills (1872), II. 306. Those that know finest metal say, No Gold will coin without Allay.
1796. Pearson, in Phil. Trans., LXXXVI. 421. This allay of ten parts of copper with one part of steel.
1809. Tomlins, Law Dict., Allay, the mixture of other metals with silver or gold.
2. Inferior metal mixed with one of greater value.
1377. Langl., P. Pl., B. XV. 342. As in lussheborwes is a lyther alay, and ȝet loketh he lyke a sterlynge; Þe merke of þat moneie is good, ac þe metal is fieble.
1473. Warkw., Chron., 4. To the same ryolle was put viij d. of aley.
1605. Camden, Rem. (1657), 185. A pound of money containeth twelve ounces, two easterlings and one ferling, and the other allay.
1625. Bacon, Ess., i. (Arb.), 501. Mixture of Falshood, is like Allay in Coyne of Gold and Siluer; which may make the Metall worke the better, but it embaseth it.
1678. Butler, Hudibr., III. ii. 482. For Fools are stubborn in their way As Coins are hard’ned by th’ Allay.
1743. Tindal, Rapin’s Hist., II. XVII. 62. Queen Elizabeth reduced the Silver coin to eleven Ounces, two Pennyweight fine, and eighteen Pennyweight allay.
1852. A. Ryland, Assay of Gold, 2. The added metal is called the ‘allay’ or ‘alloy.’
3. Degree of purity or mixture of gold or silver; standard; intrinsic quality.
1424[?]. in Arnold, Chron., 31. This yere was ordeyned ye alay of golde.
1523. Ld. Berners, Froissart, I. ccciv. 454. Money, bothe whyte and blacke, of the same forme and alay as is in Parys.
1586. Ferne, Blaz. Gentry, 126. A large reuennue … if you will consider the computation and alley of money then currant.
1676. Phil. Trans., XI. 814. To know adulterated Wares from those that be of the true standard-Allay.
1676. Man. Goldsm., 4. Which degree of allay … is commonly called the Sterling Allay.
4. fig. Admixture of something that detracts from or diminishes the value, the intrusion or presence of any impairing element.
1599. Fenton, Guicciard., III. 133. There is no earthly blisse so perfect, which hath not his aley with some bitternesse or bale.
1649. Jer. Taylor, Gt. Exemp., § 12. The best and most excellent … had an allay of viciousness.
1660. Waterhouse, Arms & Armory, 112. That were … a baston of allay [i.e., of bastardy] to that Gentleman.
1710. M. Henry, Comm. Gen. xxviii. 1–5. While there is such an allay as there is of sin in our duties, we must expect an allay of trouble in our comforts.
1796. Miss Burney, Camilla, V. i. Good-nature gives pleasure without any allay.
5. fig. Alien element, especially such as lowers the character of anything.
a. 1614. Donne, Βιαθανατος (1644), 71. The Authors … have somewhat remitted the intensnesse of Martyrdome, and mingled more allayes … and not made it of so great value.
1675. Art of Contentm., I. § 15. 180. If we compare our blessings with our allaies, our good things with our evil.
1774. Bryant, Mythology, II. 276. He borrows many exalted notions from Christianity; and blends them with the basest allay.
6. fig. Intrinsic character, quality, temper, vein, composition, complexion. Cf. Fr. de bon aloi, de mauvais aloi.
1630. Naunton, Fragm. Reg. (1870), 15. Participating in this more of her Father than Mother, who was of inferiour allay.
a. 1674. Clarendon, Hist. Reb., I. IV. 287. The Committee … prepared other Votes of a brighter allay.
1680–90. Temple, Pop. Discont., Wks. 1731, I. 268. Noble Families would not be exhausted by Competition with those of meaner Allay.
II. Senses affected by, or wholly derived from, ALLAY v.1
7. Dilution (of wine, etc.).
1531. Elyot, Governour (1580), 36. Galen will not permit, that pure wine without alaye of water, should … be given to children.
1632. B. Jonson, Magn. Lady, III. i. 496. He only takes it in French wine, With an allay of water.
8. Abatement, tempering of the force of anything.
1614. Raleigh, Hist. World, II. V. iii. § 16. 454. Whose temper needed the allay of a more staied wit.
c. 1618. Fletcher, Double Marr., V. i. You are of a high and cholericke complexion And you must have allayes.
1654. Goddard, in Burton’s Diary (1828), I. 84. Standing armies, at best, were dangerous … let us temper them with what allays we can.
1738. Wesley, Hymn ‘Come Holy Spirit,’ ii. Come, Thou our Passion’s cool Allay.
1758. S. Hayward, Serm., Introd. 19. A considerable allay to our grief.
9. Repression, check, stoppage, retardment.
1630. Naunton, Fragm. Reg. (1870), 37. He was one of the great allayes of the Austerian embracements.
1655. Fuller, Ch. Hist., II. 80. All these his excellent Practices Bede dasheth with this Allay.
1672. Marvell, Reh. Transp., I. 123. Thereby to give more temper and allay to the common and notorious Debauchery.
1726. Butler, Serm. Rolls Chap., xii. 235. The Principles in our Mind may be contradictory, or checks and Allays only … to each other.
