Edit page | Page history | Printable version

Alliance

1. The state of being allied; the act of allying or uniting; a union or connection of interests between families, states, parties, etc, especially between families by marriage and states by compact, treaty, or league; as, matrimonial alliances; an alliance between church and state; an alliance between France and England.

2. Any union resembling that of families or states; union by relationship in qualities; affinity. The alliance of the principles of the world with those of the gospel. (c. J. Smith) The alliance . . . Between logic and metaphysics. (Mansel)

3. The persons or parties allied.

Synonym: connection, affinity, union, confederacy, confederation, league, coalition.

Origin: oe. Aliaunce, OF. Aliance, f. Alliance, fr. OF. Alier, f. Allier. See ally, and cf. LL. Alligantia.