Ally v.

Forms: 3–4 alie, 4–6 alye, allie, allye, 5– ally. [a. OFr. alie-r:—L. alligā-re, f. al- = ad- to + ligāre to bind, fasten. For change of a- to al- see AL- pref.¹ Differentiated variants are ALLAY v.², ALLOY; a by-form ultimately of same origin is ALLIGATE.]

  1.  trans. To combine, unite or join in affinity, companionship, amity or association for a special object; now chiefly of marriage, friendly association of sovereign states, and union of nature or spirit. Const. to, with.

1297.  R. Glouc., 65. To be in such mariage alied to the emperour.

c. 1386.  Chaucer, Pard. T., 288. Me were lever dye, Than I yow scholde to hasardours allye [v.r. alye, alleye, allie].

c. 1425.  Wyntoun, Cron., IV. xix. 27. Swa wythe þame til alyid be, Þai and þare posteryti.

1558.  Q. Eliz., in Strype, Ann. Ref., I. II. App. i. 389. We do by this our proclamation streightly charge and allye them to us.

1605.  Stow, Ann., 670. She allied unto her all the Knights.

1732.  Pope, Ess. Man, II. 243. Wants, frailties, passions, closer still ally The common int’rest.

1837.  J. Harris, Gt. Teacher, 17. Virtue … allies us to supreme greatness.

1847.  Tennyson, Princess, II. 51. You may with those self-styled our lords ally Your fortunes.

1862.  R. Patterson, Ess. Hist. & Art, 33. We can never ally mahogany to vivid reds.

  2.  refl. (with same meaning and const.)

c. 1330.  R. Brunne, Chron., 24. Allride vnto Rollo sone gan him alie.

1591.  Percivall, Sp. Dict., Aliar, to confederate, to allie himselfe.

1635.  A. Stafford, Fem. Glory (1869), 59. He might have allied Himselfe to the greatest Princes.

1781.  J. Moore, Italy (1790), I. ii. 20. This young gentleman has lately allied himself to the family … by marrying.

1849.  Macaulay, Hist. Eng., II. 51. He allied himself closely with Castlemaine.

  3.  intr. To unite, enter into alliance. arch.

c. 1330.  R. Brunne, Chron., 67. To Malcolme, þe Scottis kyng, Tostus alied to.

c. 1386.  Chaucer, Merch. T., 170. Wher me lust beste to allien [v.r. allyen, alien].

c. 1400.  Destr. Troy, VII. 3190. Yche lede by the last aliet þerto.

1825.  T. Jefferson, Autobiog., Wks. 1859, I. 31. No foreign power will ally with us.

1837.  Lytton, Athens, II. 195. If they [the Athenians] will ally with me.

  † 4.  intr. To belong naturally. Obs. rare.

c. 1330.  R. Brunne, Chron., 248. Now is non of age of his ancestrie May haf his heritage, to whom it salle alie.

  † 5.  trans. To combine or mix (ingredients). Obs. (Cf. allay, alloy.)

1392.  in Warner’s Antiq. Culin. Alye it with ȝolkes of eyren.

c. 1420.  Liber Cocorum (1862), 34. Þere-with alye mony metes.

c. 1500.  Anc. Cookery, in Househ. Ord. (1790), 427. Take grene pesen … wyth gode brothe of beeff … and let hom boyle tyl hit aly hitself.