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allegiance

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allegiance

 

  3  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Allegiance  \Al*le"giance\,  n.  [OE.  alegeaunce  pref.  a-  +  OF 
  lige,  liege.  The  meaning  was  influenced  by  L.  ligare  to  bind, 
  and  even  by  lex,  legis,  law.  See  {Liege},  {Ligeance}.] 
  1.  The  tie  or  obligation,  implied  or  expressed,  which  a 
  subject  owes  to  his  sovereign  or  government;  the  duty  of 
  fidelity  to  one's  king,  government,  or  state. 
 
  2.  Devotion;  loyalty;  as  allegiance  to  science. 
 
  Syn:  Loyalty;  fealty. 
 
  Usage:  {Allegiance},  {Loyalty}.  These  words  agree  in 
  expressing  the  general  idea  of  fidelity  and  attachment 
  to  the  ``powers  that  be.''  Allegiance  is  an  obligation 
  to  a  ruling  power.  Loyalty  is  a  feeling  or  sentiment 
  towards  such  power.  Allegiance  may  exist  under  any 
  form  of  government,  and  in  a  republic,  we  generally 
  speak  of  allegiance  to  the  government,  to  the  state, 
  etc  In  well  conducted  monarchies,  loyalty  is  a 
  warm-hearted  feeling  of  fidelity  and  obedience  to  the 
  sovereign.  It  is  personal  in  its  nature;  and  hence  we 
  speak  of  the  loyalty  of  a  wife  to  her  husband,  not  of 
  her  allegiance.  In  cases  where  we  personify,  loyalty 
  is  more  commonly  the  word  used  as  loyalty  to  the 
  constitution;  loyalty  to  the  cause  of  virtue;  loyalty 
  to  truth  and  religion,  etc 
 
  Hear  me  recreant,  on  thine  allegiance  hear  me! 
  --Shak. 
 
  So  spake  the  Seraph  Abdiel,  faithful  found  .  . 
  .  Unshaken,  unseduced  unterrified  His  loyalty 
  he  kept,  his  love,  his  zeal.  --Milton. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  allegiance 
  n  1:  the  act  of  binding  yourself  (intellectually  or  emotionally) 
  to  a  course  of  action  "his  long  commitment  to  public 
  service";  "they  felt  no  loyalty  to  a  losing  team"  [syn: 
  {commitment},  {loyalty},  {dedication}] 
  2:  the  loyalty  that  citizens  owe  to  their  country  (or  subjects 
  to  their  sovereign)  [syn:  {fealty}] 
 
  From  THE  DEVIL'S  DICTIONARY  ((C)1911  Released  April  15  1993)  [devils]: 
 
  ALLEGIANCE,  n. 
 
  This  thing  Allegiance,  as  I  suppose, 
  Is  a  ring  fitted  in  the  subject's  nose, 
  Whereby  that  organ  is  kept  rightly  pointed 
  To  smell  the  sweetness  of  the  Lord's  anointed. 
  G.J.




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