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Ally vs Dally - What's the difference?

ally | dally |

As verbs the difference between ally and dally

is that ally is to unite, or form a connection between, as between families by marriage, or between princes and states by treaty, league, or confederacy while dally is to waste time in voluptuous pleasures, or in idleness; to trifle.

As nouns the difference between ally and dally

is that ally is one united to another by treaty or league; — usually applied to sovereigns or states; a confederate while dally is several wraps of rope around the saddle horn, used to stop animals in roping.

As a proper noun Ally

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

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)
    Related terms
    * alliance

    Etymology 2

    Diminutive of alabaster.

    Noun

    (allies)
  • (a glass marble or taw)

    • References

    *

    Anagrams

    * English heteronyms

    dally

    English

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl)

    Verb

  • To waste time in voluptuous pleasures, or in idleness; to trifle.
  • * Calamy
    • We have trifled too long already; it is madness to dally any longer.
  • * Barrow
    • We have put off God, and dallied with his grace.
  • To interchange caresses, especially of a sexual nature; to use fondling; to wanton; to sport (compare dalliance)
  • * Shakespeare
    • Not dallying with a brace of courtesans.
  • To delay unnecessarily; to while away.
  • To wind the lasso rope (ie throw-rope) around the saddle horn (the saddle horn is attached to the pommel of a western style saddle) after the roping of an animal
  • * 2003 , Jameson Parker, An Accidental Cowboy , page 89:
    • The end of the top rope he dallied around the gooseneck trailer hitch.
    Synonyms
    * dilly-dally

    Etymology 2

    Possibly from (etyl) "da le la vuelta ! " ("twist it around !") by law of Hobson-Jobson.

    Noun

    (dallies)
  • Several wraps of rope around the saddle horn, used to stop animals in .
  • * 1947 - Bruce Kiskaddon, Rhymes and Ranches
    • What matters is now if he tied hard and fast, / Or tumbled his steer with a dally .