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Ally vs Enemy - What's the difference?

ally | enemy | Antonyms |

Enemy is a antonym of ally.



As nouns the difference between ally and enemy

is that ally is one united to another by treaty or league; — usually applied to sovereigns or states; a confederate while enemy is someone who is hostile to, feels hatred towards, opposes the interests of, or intends injury to someone else.

As a verb ally

is to unite, or form a connection between, as between families by marriage, or between princes and states by treaty, league, or confederacy.

As a proper noun Ally

is a diminutive of the female given names Alison, Alice and Alexandra.

As an adjective enemy is

of, relating to, or belonging to an enemy.

ally

English

(Webster 1913)

Etymology 1

From (etyl) alien, (etyl) alier (Modern French allier), from (etyl) . Compare alligate, allay, alloy and ligament.

Verb

(en-verb)
  • To unite, or form a connection between, as between families by marriage, or between princes and states by treaty, league, or confederacy
  • * (rfdate) :
  • O chief! in blood, and now in arms allied .
  • To connect or form a relation between by similitude, resemblance, friendship, or love.
  • * (rfdate) :
  • These three did love each other dearly well, And with so firm affection were allied .
  • * (rfdate) :
  • The virtue nearest to our vice allied .
    Usage notes
    * Generally used in the passive form or reflexively. * Often followed by to'' or ''with .
    Synonyms
    * make common cause

    Noun

    (allies)
  • One united to another by treaty or league; — usually applied to sovereigns or states; a confederate.
  • * (rfdate) :
  • the English soldiers and their French allies
  • Anything associated with another as a helper; an auxiliary.
  • * (rfdate) Buckle:
  • Science, instead of being the enemy of religion, becomes its ally.
  • Anything akin to something else by structure, etc.
  • (taxonomy) A closely related species, usually within the same family.
  • Gruiformes — cranes and allies
  • (obsolete) A relative; a kinsman.
  • (Shakespeare)

    Etymology 2

    Diminutive of alabaster.

    Noun

    (allies)
  • (a glass marble or taw)
  • References

    *

    Anagrams

    * English heteronyms

    enemy

    English

    Noun

    (wikipedia enemy) (enemies)
  • Someone who is hostile to, feels hatred towards, opposes the interests of, or intends injury to someone else.
  • He made a lot of enemies after reducing the working hours in his department.
    Crush the enemy !
  • A hostile force or nation; a fighting member of such a force or nation.
  • rally together against a common enemy .
  • An alliance of such forces.
  • Something harmful or threatening to another
  • * '>citation
  • The very thing the 16 skiers and snowboarders had sought — fresh, soft snow — instantly became the enemy . Somewhere above, a pristine meadow cracked in the shape of a lightning bolt, slicing a slab nearly 200 feet across and 3 feet deep. Gravity did the rest.

    Synonyms

    * foe * unfriend * adversary * nemesis * backfriend

    Antonyms

    * ally * friend

    Derived terms

    {{der3, archenemy , enemydom , enemyful , enemyhood , enemyish , enemyless , enemylike , enemyness , enemyship , enemywise}}

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • of, relating to, or belonging to an enemy
  • See also

    * nemesis

    Statistics

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    Anagrams

    * (l) 1000 English basic words ----