strong ally
2
3.4
- noun
:
fuerte aliado
- In the fight against climate change, many countries have joined forces to become strong allies.
- a strong ally
- one of our strong allies
Examples
-
Romney also said, "We need to have strong allies."
Blog text (13) -
We have strong allies in the new science reformers who are now under great public pressure to improve the quality of science and mathematics instruction.
Academic text (1992) -
It's our oldest, strongest ally.
-
But the Indian doctor, now sorry for what he had done, had become Adah's strongest ally.
Fiction book (1990) -
They would be strong allies for the general music program, adding, at strategic times, the perspective of what living their particular musical life entails.
Academic text (2012) -
Before McGillivray could address the issue of Creek sovereignty, however, he had a more pressing problem: the need for a strong ally for protection and trade.
Academic text (2008) -
The fact that the two strongest allies of the United States in the East Mediterranean cooperated closely on strategic and military issues was highly significant for U.S. interests in the region.
Academic text (2014) -
The LGBT community stands to gain a more open, while still tremendously strong, ally in the fight for LGBT equality.
Blog text (17) -
I was uneasy about this visit, however, because the psychologist had assumed the role of Colleen's strong ally, and we were clearly adversaries.
Academic text (2004) -
During the negotiations, they realized that having a strong ally would be crucial to their success.
Synonyms
996
2.8
A country, person, or group that helps another, often in a war
4
3.8
A person who stays loyal to a cause or someone even when it is difficult
1
3.9
A person, group, or country that strongly supports and stays loyal to another
How Supportive
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'a powerful and reliable supporter' is directly and compositionally derived from 'strong' (powerful) modifying 'ally' (supporter), so a B1 learner who knows both words can infer the phrase. The adjective+noun pattern is a regular, cross-linguistic construction, making the expression immediately predictable from its parts.
Etymology
Strong ally comes from the image of friends on a battlefield: an ally stands at your side and a strong one can hold the line or shield you. That's why it now means 'a powerful and reliable supporter'.