1. [n]  the act of forming an alliance or confederation
2. [n]  a formal agreement establishing an association or alliance between nations or other groups to achieve a particular aim
3. [n]  an organization of people (or countries) involved in a pact or treaty
4. [n]  a connection based on kinship or marriage or common interest; "the shifting alliances within a large family"; "their friendship constitutes a powerful bond between them"
5. [n]  the state of being allied or confederated

1. \Al*li"ance\, n. [OE. aliaunce, OF. aliance, F.
   alliance, fr. OF. alier, F. allier. See {Ally}, and cf. LL.
   alligantia.]
   1. The state of being allied; the act of allying or uniting;
      a union or connection of interests between families,
      states, parties, etc., especially between families by
      marriage and states by compact, treaty, or league; as,
      matrimonial alliances; an alliance between church and
      state; an alliance between France and England.
   2. Any union resembling that of families or states; union by
      relationship in qualities; affinity.
            The alliance of the principles of the world with
            those of the gospel.                  --C. J. Smith.
            The alliance . . . between logic and metaphysics.
                                                  --Mansel.
   3. The persons or parties allied. --Udall.
   Syn: Connection; affinity; union; confederacy; confederation;
        league; coalition.
   

2. \Al*li"ance\, v. t.
   To connect by alliance; to ally. [Obs.]
   

A complete set of CAD tools for teaching Digital CMOS VLSI Design in Universities. It includes a VHDL compiler and simulator, logic synthesis tools, and automatic place and route tools. ALLIANCE is the result of a ten years effort at University Pierre et Marie Curie (PARIS VI, France).

It runs on Sun-4, not well supported: MIPS/Ultrix, 386/SystemV.

Current version: 1.1, as of 1993-02-16.

a treaty between nations, or between individuals, for their mutual advantage.

Abraham formed an alliance with some of the Canaanitish princes (Gen. 14:13), also with Abimelech (21:22-32). Joshua and the elders of Israel entered into an alliance with the Gibeonites (Josh. 9:3-27). When the Israelites entered Palestine they were forbidden to enter into alliances with the inhabitants of the country (Lev. 18:3, 4; 20:22, 23).

Solomon formed a league with Hiram (1 Kings 5:12). This "brotherly covenant" is referred to 250 years afterwards (Amos 1:9). He also appears to have entered into an alliance with Pharaoh (1 Kings 10:28, 29).

In the subsequent history of the kingdoms of Judah and Israel various alliances were formed between them and also with neighbouring nations at different times.

From patriarchal times a covenant of alliance was sealed by the blood of some sacrificial victim. The animal sacrificed was cut in two (except birds), and between these two parts the persons contracting the alliance passed (Gen. 15:10). There are frequent allusions to this practice (Jer. 34:18). Such alliances were called "covenants of salt" (Num. 18:19; 2 Chr. 13:5), salt being the symbol of perpetuity. A pillar was set up as a memorial of the alliance between Laban and Jacob (Gen. 31:52). The Jews throughout their whole history attached great importance to fidelity to their engagements. Divine wrath fell upon the violators of them (Josh. 9:18; 2 Sam. 21:1, 2; Ezek. 17:16).