I. əˈlā, aˈ- verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Middle English alayen, aleggen, from Old English ālecgan, from ā- (perfective prefix) + lecgan to lay — more at abear , lay
transitive verb
1. obsolete : overthrow , subdue
allay this thy abortive pride — Shakespeare
2. : to subdue or reduce in intensity or severity : alleviate , relieve , abate
this ration is palatable, very rapidly allays hunger — H.G.Armstrong
widely used in our community to allay aches — Ben Riker
sought … to catch every river breeze to allay the summer heat — Maxwell Mays
3. : to put at rest (as disquiet, fear, or suspicion) : make quiet : pacify , appease , quell , calm
some answer to allay all his anxieties — Norman Kelman
the turmoil that had been partly allayed returned — Elizabeth M. Roberts
competition was embittered rather than allayed — Times Literary Supplement
4.
a. : to limit the pleasurable or good effect of : moderate by something unpleasant
the victors' joy was allayed by the death of their prince
b. : weaken , diminish , qualify
intransitive verb
obsolete : to diminish in strength : subside
when the rage allays — Shakespeare
Synonyms: see relieve
II. noun
( -s )
1. archaic : alleviation , abatement
2. obsolete : check , stoppage
III. transitive verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Middle English alayen, from Middle French alayer, aleier, aloier, alier to combine, from Latin alligare to bind, bind to — more at ally
archaic : alloy
IV. noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English alay, from Middle French alay, aloi, from alayer, aloier, v.
archaic : alloy