Emily Dickinson Lexicon

AL-LOY', v.t. [Fr. allier, to unite or mix; L. alligo, ad and ligo, to bind; Gr. λυγοω; Sp. ligar, to tie or bind, to alloy or mix base metals with gold or silver, to league or confederate; Port. id.; It. legare. We observe that alloy and league, alliance, ally, are from the same root. Class Lg.]

1. To reduce the purity of a metal, by mixing with it a portion of one less valuable; as, to alloy gold with silver, or silver with copper.
2. To mix metals. – Lavoisier.
3. To reduce or abate by mixture; as to alloy pleasure with misfortunes.