Search

to arrange in a straight line; adjust according to a line.
to bring into a line or .
to bring into cooperation or agreement with a particular group, party, cause, etc.:
he aligned himself with the liberals.
to adjust (two or more components of an electronic circuit) to improve the response over a frequency band, as to align the tuned circuits of a radio receiver for proper tracking throughout its frequency range, or a television receiver for appropriate wide-band responses.
to fall or come into line; be in line.
to join with others in a cause.
contemporary examples

he wants the status and he knows by aligning himself with nucky and doing business with him that he will be granted these things.
boardwalk empire’s racial divide jace lacob october 9, 2010

and so the stars seem to be aligning into one of those moments where, as seamus heaney once wrote, “hope and history rhyme.”
immigration reform proposal shows similar ideas betweeen bush and obama john avlon january 30, 2013

turkey under the justice and development party (akp) has never wanted to appear to be aligning itself with western policies.
turkey’s att-tude toward isis? sympathy for the devil jamie dettmer september 30, 2014

by peddling merchandise and aligning with other high-end brands, it is also evolving into a broader business.
soulcycle is a booming exercise chain for the 1 percent filipa ioannou july 18, 2013

the speaker conjures up centuries of collective sagacity, aligning oneself with an eternal, inarguable good.
politicians only love journalists when they’re dead luke o’neil january 7, 2015

historical examples

the battalion adjutant -ssists in aligning the battalion and then takes his post.
infantry drill regulations, united states army, 1911 united states war department

into what groups are type faces divided for aligning purposes?
type a. a. stewart

aunt delia mccormick surprised every one by aligning herself with this latter minority.
the boss of little arcady harry leon wilson

in “right front into line, double time” halting and aligning commands are omitted.
military instructors manual james p. cole and oliver schoonmaker

in pistol shooting, all resolves itself into aligning the pistol and discharging the bullet.
the modern pistol and how to shoot it walter winans

verb
to place or become placed in a line
to bring (components or parts, such as the wheels of a car) into proper or desirable coordination or relation
(transitive) usually foll by with. to bring (a person, country, etc) into agreement or cooperation with the policy, etc of another person or group
(transitive) (psychol) to integrate or harmonize the aims, practices, etc of a group
(usually foll by with) (psychol) to identify with or match the behaviour, thoughts, etc of another person
v.

early 15c., “to copulate” (of wolves, dogs), literally “to range (things) in a line,” from middle french aligner, from old french alignier “set, lay in line,” from à “to” (see ad-) + lignier “to line,” from latin lineare, from linea (see line (n.)). transitive or reflective sense of “to fall into line” is from 1853. international political sense is attested from 1934. no justification for the french spelling, and aline was an early native form. related: aligned; aligning.