different between partisan vs ally

English

Alternative forms

• partizan

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /?p??.t??zæn/, /?p??.t??zæn/
• (US) IPA^(key): /?p??.??.z?n/, /?p??.??.z?n/, /-s?n/

Etymology 1

From French partisan, from Italian partigiano (“defender of a party”), from parte (“part”). Doublet of partigiano. Attested in English from the late 15th century in the noun sense of "party adherent", and in related adjective senses from the 16th century. The "guerilla fighter" sense influenced by Serbo-Croatian partizan, Russian ????????? (partizán), from the same source.The sense of "guerilla fighter" is from c. 1690.The adjective in the military sense dates from the early 18th century.(Can this⁽⁺⁾ etymology be sourced?)

Noun

partisan (plural partisans)

1. An adherent to a party or faction.
   • 1992, Thomas R. Pegram, "Partisans and Progressives: Private Interest and Public Policy in Illinois

     "Strong partisans of neither party, Indiana farmers failed to act as a block […] "

2. A fervent, sometimes militant, supporter or proponent of a party, cause, faction, person, or idea.
3. A member of a band of detached light, irregular troops acting behind occupying enemy lines in the ways of harassment or sabotage; a guerrilla fighter.
4. (now rare) The commander of a body of detached light troops engaged in making forays and harassing an enemy.

Related terms

• copartisan
• part
• partisanism
• partisanry
• partisanship
• party

Translations

Adjective

partisan (comparative more partisan, superlative most partisan)

1. Serving as commander or member of a body of detached light troops.

2. Adherent to a party or faction; especially, having the character of blind, passionate, or unreasonable adherence to a party.
3. Devoted to or biased in support of a party, group, or cause.

Translations

Etymology 2

From French partizaine, from Middle French partizaine, partisanne etc., from Italian partigiana, related to Etymology 1 above (apparently because it was seen as a typical weapon of such forces).

Noun

partisan (plural partisans)

1. (historical) A long-handled spear with a triangular, double-edged blade having lateral projections, in some forms also used in boar hunting.

   • I had as lief have a reed that will do me no service as a partisan I could not heave.
2. (obsolete) A soldier armed with such a weapon.

Translations

See also

• halberd

References

Further reading

• Partisan in the Encyclopædia Britannica (11th edition, 1911)

Anagrams

• Partains, Sarpanit, aspirant, spartina

French

Etymology

From Italian partigiano.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /pa?.ti.z??/

Noun

partisan m (plural partisans, feminine partisane)

1. supporter, proponent, advocate
2. (sports) fan

Adjective

partisan (feminine singular partisane, masculine plural partisans, feminine plural partisanes)

1. partisan, partial
2. in favour of

Further reading

• “partisan” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

Anagrams

• aspirant

Norman

Etymology

Borrowed from French partisan.

Noun

partisan m (plural partisans)

1. (Jersey) supporter

Norwegian Bokmål

Etymology

From Italian partigiano, via French partisan

Noun

partisan m (definite singular partisanen, indefinite plural partisaner, definite plural partisanene)

1. a partisan (member of an armed group)

References

• “partisan” in The Bokmål Dictionary.

Norwegian Nynorsk

Etymology

From Italian partigiano, via French partisan

Noun

partisan m (definite singular partisanen, indefinite plural partisanar, definite plural partisanane)

1. a partisan (member of an armed group)

References

• “partisan” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.

English

Etymology 1

From Middle English allien, alien, from Old French alier (Modern Old French allier), from Latin allig? (“to bind to”), from ad (“to”) + lig? (“to bind”). Compare alligate, allay, alloy and ligament.

Pronunciation

• enPR: ?l'?, IPA^(key): /?æl.a?/ (noun, also used for the verb)
• enPR: ?l?', IPA^(key): /??la?/ (verb, sometimes used for the noun)
• Rhymes: -a?

Verb

ally (third-person singular simple present allies, present participle allying, simple past and past participle allied)

1. (transitive) To unite, or form a connection between, as between families by marriage, or between princes and states by treaty, league, or confederacy.

   • O chief! in blood, and now in arms allied.

2. (transitive) To connect or form a relation between by similitude, resemblance, friendship, or love.
   • 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

Translations

Noun

ally (plural allies)

1. A person, group, or state (etc) which is associated with another for a common cause; one united to another by treaty or common purpose; a confederate.
2. A person, group, concept (etc) which is associated with another as a helper; a supporter; an auxiliary.
   • 1857, Henry Thomas Buckle, History of Civilization in England:

     Science, instead of being the enemy of religion, becomes its ally.

   1. A person who is not a member of the LGBT+ community but is supportive of it.
   2. An outside supporter of any demographic subject to discrimination and/or misrepresentation.

      I'm glad you want to be a better ally to the disabled.

3. Anything akin to something else by structure, etc.
4. (taxonomy) A closely related species, usually within the same family.

   Gruiformes — cranes and allies

5. (obsolete) A relative; a kinsman.
   • 1597, William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet Act III, Scene 1:

     This gentleman, the prince's near ally / My very friend, hath got his mortal hurt / In my behalf

Related terms

• alliance

Translations

References

Etymology 2

Diminutive of alabaster.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?æli/

Noun

ally (plural allies)

1. Alternative form of alley (a glass marble or taw)

References

• ally in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.

Anagrams

• Lyla, y'all, ya'll, yall