to alloy
- verb
- /əˈlɔɪ/
- Specialized
- 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
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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.
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In order to improve its strength, the manufacturer alloyed the aluminum with copper.
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The engineer recommended that we alloy the titanium with nickel for better performance.
Synonyms
To make something worth less by adding cheaper material
Antonyms
Compounds
- Specialized
A metal made mostly of copper mixed with other metals like tin or zinc
- Specialized
Metal made by mixing iron with other metals like nickel to make it stronger and resist heat
- Specialized
A type of cast iron made by adding other metals to make it stronger and resist wear
- Specialized
A metal made mainly of nickel that resists very high heat and chemical damage
- Specialized
A soft metal mix that melts at low heat and is used to make fuses and molds
How Pure
- Specialized
- Specialized
- Specialized
Surface Forms
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.