staunch ally
1
3.9
- noun
- /stɔntʃ ˈælaɪ/
:
aliado firme
- Congresswoman Harman is a staunch ally of Senator Clinton, who recently appealed to Obama to name Hillary as VP.
They were tremendously good, fast cavalrymen, a staunch ally of Carthage, but Skipio manages to talk them out of it.
- They were tremendously good, fast cavalrymen, a staunch ally of Carthage, but Skipio manages to talk them out of it.
Examples
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The United States and Canada are staunch allies, vital economic partners, and steadfast friends.
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Moscow had been a staunch ally of Tehran in the face of international criticism over Iran's nuclear power program.
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Why, you're my staunch ally.
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This is not to say that the administration should abandon a staunch ally, nor pressure Israel into fighting terrorism in an unassertive manner.
Academic text (2003) -
And Boris Johnson, the former Prime Minister, the UK, who's a staunch ally of Ukraine, a friend of Zelinsky, has been a number of times.
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They were tremendously good, fast cavalrymen, a staunch ally of Carthage, but Skipio manages to talk them out of it.
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When they do, they will find the Secretary General is their staunch ally.
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
2
3.4
A person, group, or country that gives strong and reliable help
1
2.8
A person or group that always supports another and can be trusted
Antonyms
How Loyal
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'a person, group, or country that gives strong and loyal support' is directly and transparently derived from combining 'staunch' (loyal, unwavering) with 'ally' (supporter). This adjective + noun composition follows a straightforward compositional pattern common across languages, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents should be able to infer the MWE meaning.
Etymology
Staunch ally may come from an old idea of 'stopping a flow': staunch once meant something that stops water, like a plug. So, a staunch ally is a friend who gives strong, steady support.