ally: Meaning and Definition of

al•ly

Pronunciation: (v.u-lī'n.al'ī, u-lī'), [key]
— v., n., pl. -lied, -ly•ing, -lies.
—v.t.
  1. to unite formally, as by treaty, league, marriage, or the like (usually fol. by with or to): Russia allied itself to France.
  2. to associate or connect by some mutual relationship, as resemblance or friendship.
—v.i.
  1. to enter into an alliance; join; unite.
—n.
  1. a person, group, or nation that is associated with another or others for some common cause or purpose: Canada and the United States were allies in World War II.
  2. a plant, animal, or other organism bearing an evolutionary relationship to another, often as a member of the same family: The squash is an ally of the watermelon.
  3. a person who associates or cooperates with another; supporter.

-ally

Pronunciation: [key]
  1. an adverbial suffix attached to certain adjectives with stems in -ic that have no forms ending in -ical: terrifically.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
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