rally: Meaning and Definition of

ral•ly

Pronunciation: (ral'ē), [key]
— v., n., pl. -lied, -ly•ing, -lies.
—v.t.
  1. to bring into order again; gather and organize or inspire anew: The general rallied his scattered army.
  2. to draw or call (persons) together for a common action or effort: He rallied his friends to help him.
  3. to concentrate or revive, as one's strength, spirits, etc.: They rallied their energies for the counterattack.
—v.i.
  1. to come together for common action or effort: The disunited party rallied in time for the election campaign.
  2. to come together or into order again: The captain ordered his small force to rally at the next stream.
  3. to come to the assistance of a person, party, or cause (often fol. by to or around): to rally around a political candidate.
  4. to recover partially from illness: He spent a bad night but began to rally by morning.
  5. to find renewed strength or vigor: The runner seemed to be rallying for a final sprint.
    1. (of securities) to rise sharply in price after a drop.
    2. (of the persons forming a stock market) to begin to trade with increased activity after a slow period.
  6. (in tennis, badminton, etc.) to engage in a rally.
  7. to participate in a long-distance automobile race.
  8. (of a team) to score one or more runs in one inning.
—n.
  1. a recovery from dispersion or disorder, as of troops.
  2. a renewal or recovery of strength, activity, etc.
  3. a partial recovery of strength during illness.
  4. a drawing or coming together of persons, as for common action, as in a mass meeting: A political rally that brought together hundreds of the faithful.
  5. a get-together of hobbyists or other like-minded enthusiasts, primarily to meet and socialize.
  6. a sharp rise in price or active trading after a declining market.
  7. (in tennis, badminton, etc.)
    1. an exchange of strokes between players before a point is scored.
    2. the hitting of the ball back and forth prior to the start of a match.
  8. an exchange of blows.
  9. the scoring of one or more runs in one inning.
  10. a quickening of pace for heightening the dramatic effect in a scene or act.
  11. a series of blows with battering rams, made in order to drive wedges under a hull to raise it prior to launching.
  12. a long-distance automobile race, esp. for sports cars, held over public roads unfamiliar to the drivers, with numerous checkpoints along the route.

ral•ly

Pronunciation: (ral'ē), [key]
— -lied, -ly•ing.
  1. to ridicule in a good-natured way; banter.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
See also: