[a. mod.Fr. aloyer:—OFr. aleier, alier:—L. alligāre. The north. Fr. form allayer (= alleyer, aleier), whence our earlier ALLAY, long continued to be the standard Fr. form, and is alone found in Cotgr., 1611. Since the 17th c. it has been displaced by aloyer (probably by assimilation to the sb., which has been aloi in standard Fr. from an early period: see prec.). In the wake of the Fr., Eng. also has substituted alloy for the Norman allay, first in the sb. and then c. 1690 in the vb.]
1. To mix with a baser metal so as to reduce to a desired standard or quality. = ALLAY v.2 1.
1691. Locke, Money, Wks. 1727, II. 40. Most of the Silver of the World, both in Money and Vessels, being alloy’d (i.e. mixed with some baser metals).
1719. W. Wood, Surv. Trade, 361. Melting of Coin for Bullion, and bringing in Bullion for Coin alloy’d … will be avoided.
1875. Ure, Dict. Arts, I. 93. Gold and silver … when alloyed with a little copper. Ibid., I. 96. The alloy for silver coinage is always copper, and a very pure quality of this metal is used for alloying.
2. To mix metals (without reference to their relative value); to form compounds of two or more metals.
1822. [See ALLOYED 3].
1839. Ure, Dict. Arts, 30. When we wish to alloy three or more metals, we often experience difficulties.
3. intr. (refl.) To enter into combination with another metal.
1839. Ure, Dict. Arts, 29. One metal does not alloy indifferently with every other metal. Ibid. (1875), I. 99. Gold and iron alloy with ease.
4. fig. To mix with something inferior; to lower in degree, debase, contaminate by admixture. = ALLAY v.2 2.
1703. Maundrell, Journ. Jerus. (1732), App. 9. Some [heaps of Salt] being exquisitely White, others alloy’d with Dirt.
1832. Ht. Martineau, Ella of Gar., x. 117. Their external prosperity was not alloyed by troubles from within.
5. fig. To temper, moderate, modify. Cf. ALLAY v.1
1661. Hickeringill, Jamaica, 10. The heat in the day time being alwaies alloy’d with the Sea Breezes.
1875. Ruskin, Lect. Art, ii. 42. Gentle and submissive persons, who might by their true patience have alloyed the hardness of the common crowd.
