*leig-

early 14c. "relative freedom of a noble metal from alloy or other impurities," from Anglo-French alai, Old French aloi "alloy," from aloiier (see alloy (v.)). The meaning " base metal alloyed with a noble metal" is from c. 1400. The modern spelling from late 17c. The meaning "any mixture of metals," without reference to values, is from 1827.

late 13c., allien, "join in marriage" (transitive), from Old French alier "combine, unite," from a differentiated stem of aliier (from Latin alligare "bind to, tie to," from ad "to" (see ad-) + ligare "to bind, bind one thing to another, tie" (from PIE root *leig- "to tie, bind"). The meaning "form an alliance, join, associate" is late 14c. Related: allied; allying.