ALLOY


Meaning of ALLOY in English

I. ˈaˌlȯi, əˈl-, aˈl-;  ̷ ̷ˈ ̷ ̷ is prob more freq for noun senses 4 & 5, and for the verb, than for noun senses 2 & 3 noun

( -s )

Etymology: Middle French aloi, from aloier

1. obsolete : essential quality or character : standard

2. : degree of mixture with base metals : comparative purity (as of gold or silver) : fineness

3.

a. : a substance composed of two or more metals intimately mixed and united usually by being fused together and dissolving in each other when molten

brass is an alloy of copper and zinc

also : the state of union of the components

b. : a similar substance with metallic properties, sometimes with limited malleability and conductivity, formed by union of a metal and a nonmetal

steel is an alloy of iron and carbon

c. archaic : an inferior metal mixed with a more valuable one

coins made of silver and alloy

4.

a. : admixture that lessens value or detracts from quality

b. : an impairing alien element or part

no happiness is without alloy

had his alloy , like other people, of ambition and selfishness — Rose Macaulay

5. : any compound, mixture, or union of different things : amalgam

an ethnic alloy of many peoples

II. verb

( -ed/-ing/-s )

Etymology: obsolete French aloyer, from Old French aleier, aloier, alier to combine, from Latin alligare to bind, bind to — more at ally

transitive verb

1. : to reduce the purity of by mixing with a less valuable metal

alloy gold with copper

2. : to mix with another metal or metals (as by melting together) : use as the constituent or constituents of an alloy : mix so as to form an alloy

3. : to lower, impair, or debase by mixture

alloying the splendor of the sight

: allay , moderate , temper

mercy should alloy our stern resentment — W.S.Gilbert

intransitive verb

: to mix to form an alloy : lend itself readily to being alloyed

iron alloys well

Webster's New International English Dictionary.      Новый международный словарь английского языка Webster.