Alliance
WordNet
noun
(1) The act of forming an alliance or confederation
(2) A formal agreement establishing an association or alliance between nations or other groups to achieve a particular aim
(3) An organization of people (or countries) involved in a pact or treaty
(4) A connection based on kinship or marriage or common interest
"The shifting alliances within a large family"
"Their friendship constitutes a powerful bond between them"
(5) The state of being allied or confederated
WiktionaryText
Noun
- 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.
- 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.
- The persons or parties allied. --Udall.
- A treaty between nations for their mutual advantage
Synonyms
Etymology
aliance, from alier (modern: allier) "to ally" (compare with Late Latin alligantia).