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to alloy

to alloy

7.7
To mix a valuable metal with a cheaper metal to make it less pure
  • verb
  • /əˈlɔɪ/
  • Specialized
translation icon : aleacionar con
  • The issues minted at the beginning of his reign were nearly pure gold, but by the end of the reign, coins were alloyed with silver.

Examples

  • Again: "He is what he is, they are where they are, the fates brought them together, and now a thin piece of alloyed metal will conspire with gravity and physics to decide who lives, who dies, and who kills."

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  • The jeweler decided to alloy the gold with silver to create a more durable ring.

  • In order to improve its strength, the manufacturer alloyed the aluminum with copper.

  • The engineer recommended that we alloy the titanium with nickel for better performance.

Synonyms

to debase
vsto alloy
7 6.9

To make something worth less by adding cheaper material

is a specific act of mixing precious metal with cheaper metal to reduce purity

Antonyms

to refine
  • Specialized
41 3.9

Remove unwanted parts from a material to make it pure

30 4.6

To remove dirt and bad chemicals from water or air to make them clean

Compounds

alloy steel
  • Specialized
1 4.1

Steel that has other metals added to make it stronger and resist rust

copper-base alloy
  • Specialized
5.1

A metal made mostly of copper mixed with other metals like tin or zinc

alloy iron
  • Specialized
7.0

Metal made by mixing iron with other metals like nickel to make it stronger and resist heat

alloy cast iron
  • Specialized
6.0

A type of cast iron made by adding other metals to make it stronger and resist wear

gold alloy
  • Specialized
3.5

A mix of gold and other metals made to be stronger or change color

nickel-base alloy
  • Specialized
6.0

A metal made mainly of nickel that resists very high heat and chemical damage

nickel alloy
  • Specialized
5.1

A metal mix with nickel as the main metal that resists heat and rust

pyrophoric alloy
  • Specialized
9.9

A metal mix that makes sparks when you strike it, used in lighters

Wood's alloy
  • Specialized
9.0

A soft metal mix that melts at low heat and is used to make fuses and molds

How Pure

to purify
30 4.6
to refine
  • Specialized
41 3.9
to alloy
  • Specialized
7.7
to adulterate
  • Specialized
5 8.2
to contaminate
248 4.9

Surface Forms

alloy infinitive
alloyed past
alloyed past participle
alloying present participle
alloys third person singular

Etymology

A helpful way to remember the verb alloy meaning 'to make less pure' is to think of the old French aloi, 'something added', so adding a cheaper metal to gold or silver makes it less pure and lowers its value.