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Anything held allodially. W. Coxe.

r portion granted or distributed; that which is assigned by lot, or by the act of God; anything set apart for a special use or to a distinct party. The alloments of God and nature. L'Estrange. A vineyard and an allotment for olives and herbs. Broome.

One to whom anything is allotted; one to whom an allotment is made.

To grant (something) as a deduction or an addition; esp. to abate or deduct; as, to allow a sum for leakage.

Admixture of anything which lessens the value or detracts from; as, no happiness is without alloy. "Pure English without Latin alloy." F. Harrison.

To refer to something indirectly or by suggestion; to have reference to a subject not specifically and plainly mentioned; -- followed by to; as, the story alludes to a recent transaction. These speeches . . . do seem to allude unto such ministerial garments as were then in use. Hooker.

by a lure or bait, that is, by the offer of some good, real or apparent; to invite by something flattering or acceptable; to entice; to attract. With promised joys allured them on. Falconer. The golden sun in splendor likest Heaven Allured his eye. Milton.

A reference to something supposed to be known, but not explicitly mentioned; a covert indication; indirect reference; a hint.

Having reference to something not fully expressed; containing an allusion.

Anything associated with another as a helper; an auxiliary. Science, instead of being the enemy of religion, becomes its ally. Buckle.

Anything shaped like an almond. Specifically: (Anat.)

persuadest me to be a Christian. Acts xxvi. 28. Almost never, scarcely ever. -- Almost nothing, scarcely anything.

Anything given gratuitously to relieve the poor, as money, food, or clothing; a gift of charity. A devout man . . . which gave much alms to the people. Acts x. 2. Alms are but the vehicles of prayer. Dryden. Tenure by free alms. See Frankalmoign. Blackstone.

's self; apart from, or exclusive of, others; single; solitary; -- applied to a person or thing. Alone on a wide, wide sea. Coleridge. It is not good that the man should be alone. Gen. ii. 18.

Fig.: Something lofty, or massive, or very hard to be surmounted.

gilds all objects, but it alters none. Pope. My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips. Ps. lxxxix. 34.

The state of being altered; a change made in the form or nature of a thing; changed condition. Ere long might perceive Strange alteration in me. Milton. Appius Claudius admitted to the senate the sons of those who had been slaves; by which, and succeeding alterations, that council degenerated into a most corrupt. Swift…

That which alternates with something else; vicissitude. [R.] Grateful alternates of substantial. Prior.

The reciprocal succession of things in time or place; the act of following and being followed by turns; alternate succession, performance, or occurrence; as, the alternation of day and night, cold and heat, summer and winter, hope and fear.

Offering a choice of two things.