Ally vs Assistant - What's the difference?
ally | assistant |
To unite, or form a connection between, as between families by marriage, or between princes and states by treaty, league, or confederacy
* (rfdate) :
To connect or form a relation between by similitude, resemblance, friendship, or love.
* (rfdate) :
* (rfdate) :
One united to another by treaty or league; — usually applied to sovereigns or states; a confederate.
* (rfdate) :
Anything associated with another as a helper; an auxiliary.
* (rfdate) Buckle:
Anything akin to something else by structure, etc.
(taxonomy) A closely related species, usually within the same family.
(obsolete) A relative; a kinsman.
(a glass marble or taw)
Having a subordinate or auxiliary position.
Helping; lending aid or support; auxiliary.
* Beattie
(obsolete) Someone who is present; a bystander, a witness.
*, II.3:
A person who assists or helps someone else.
(British) Sales assistant.
A software tool that provides assistance in some task.
As a proper noun ally
is a diminutive of the female given names alison, alice and alexandra.As an adjective assistant is
having a subordinate or auxiliary position.As a noun assistant is
(obsolete) someone who is present; a bystander, a witness.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)- O chief! in blood, and now in arms allied .
- These three did love each other dearly well, And with so firm affection were allied .
- 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 causeNoun
(allies)- the English soldiers and their French allies
- Science, instead of being the enemy of religion, becomes its ally.
- Gruiformes — cranes and allies
- (Shakespeare)
Etymology 2
Diminutive of alabaster.Noun
(allies)References
*Anagrams
* English heteronymsassistant
English
Alternative forms
* assistaunt (obsolete)Adjective
(-) (attributive)- an assistant surgeon
- Genius and learning are mutually and greatly assistant to each other.
Noun
(en noun)- a woman of great authority, having first yeelded an accompt unto her Citizens, and shewed good reasons why she was resolved to end her life, earnestly entreated Pompey to be an assistant at her death, that so it might be esteemed more honourable.