Confederacies

1 definition found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Confederacy \Con*fed"er*a*cy\, n.; pl. {Confederacies}. [From
     {Confederate}, a.]
     1. A league or compact between two or more persons, bodies of
        men, or states, for mutual support or common action;
        alliance.
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              The friendships of the world are oft
              Confederacies in vice or leagues of pleasure.
                                                    --Addison.
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              He hath heard of our confederacy.     --Shak.
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              Virginia promoted a confederacy.      --Bancroft.
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     2. The persons, bodies, states, or nations united by a
        league; a confederation.
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              The Grecian common wealth, . . . the most heroic
              confederacy that ever existed.        --Harris.
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              Virgil has a whole confederacy against him.
                                                    --Dryden.
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     3. (Law) A combination of two or more persons to commit an
        unlawful act, or to do a lawful act by unlawful means. See
        {Conspiracy}.
  
     Syn: League; compact; alliance; association; union;
          combination; confederation.
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