rallier

Rallier is a French verb that means to bring together again or to win over to a cause. It can be used transitively, as in rallier qn à qc, meaning to rally someone to something or to recruit supporters. It can also be used pronominally or reflexively as se rallier à qc, meaning to align oneself with or to join a cause, party, or group. In military or political contexts, rallier often refers to gathering supporters, reuniting divided factions, or re-binding loyalty.

Etymology and related forms: the verb comes from the prefix re- plus lier (to bind), conveying the sense of binding people together again. The noun rall iement denotes the act or result of rallying, including political realignments or military reconciliation.

Usage notes: rallier is somewhat more formal and literary than the more general rassembler. It is commonly used in political discourse to describe efforts to gain adherents or to rejoin a coalition, and in military history to describe reassembly of troops. Common collocations include rallier des partisans, rallier à sa cause, or se rallier à une faction or à l’opposition.

Examples: Le candidat cherche à rallier les électeurs à son programme. Après le scandale, plusieurs députés se sont rall iés à l’opposition. La conférence visait à rallier les anciens alliés à une nouvelle coalition.

See also: rall iement (noun), rallier à, se rallier. Related terms include rassembler and aligner, which cover similar notions of uniting or joining.

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