alloy: [16] The notion of ‘mixing’ in alloy originated in the idea of ‘binding’ in Latin ligāre ‘tie’ (source of English ligament, ligature, and lien – via Old French loien from Latin ligāmen ‘bond’). Addition of the prefix ad- gave alligāre ‘bind one thing to another’, hence ‘combine’. This passed into Old French as aleier, where it eventually became aloier – hence English alloy. => ally, lien, ligament, ligature
alloy (n.)
early 14c. "relative freedom of a noble metal from alloy or other impurities," from Anglo-French alai, Old French aloi, from aloiier (see alloy (v.)). Meaning " base metal alloyed with a noble metal" is from c. 1400. Modern spelling from late 17c.
alloy (v.)
c. 1400, "mix with a baser metal," from Old French aloiier "assemble, join," from Latin alligare "bind to, tie to," compound of ad- "to" (see ad-) + ligare "to bind" (see ligament); hence "bind one thing to another." Related: Alloyed; alloying.
实用例句
1. Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc.
黄铜是铜锌合金。来自《权威词典》
2. The worker worked in a little copper with the alloy.
工人在合金里搀了一点铜.来自《简明英汉词典》
3. Last October the first batch of low - alloy channel steel was successfully rolled.
去年10月,成功轧出第一批低合金槽钢.来自《简明英汉词典》
4. This is not pure gold ; there is some alloy in it.
