# rally

Pronunciation: say "RAL-ee" /ˈɹæli/

## Noun

1. A public gathering or mass meeting, not mainly a protest, held to build enthusiasm for a cause.
   - Simple: A big meeting where people come together to get excited and support a cause.
   - _Supporters packed the stadium for a campaign rally the night before the vote._
   - _Organizers staged a rally to drum up enthusiasm for the conservation effort._
2. A protest or demonstration for or against a cause, often featuring speeches and frequently without marching.
   - Simple: A meeting where people gather to speak out for or against something, often with speeches but no marching.
   - _Demonstrators held a rally outside city hall to demand stronger gun laws._
   - _The union called a rally to oppose the proposed layoffs._
6. A motorsport event in which competitors drive a series of timed special stages, the winner having the shortest total time.
   - Simple: A car race made up of timed stages, where the fastest total time wins.
   - _The driver clinched the rally with the fastest cumulative time across all stages._
   - _Spectators lined the forest track to watch the rally roar past._
7. In racket sports, the sequence of strokes exchanged between the serve and the scoring of a point.
   - Simple: In games like tennis, the back-and-forth hitting of the ball until someone scores.
   - _A grueling rally of more than thirty strokes ended the set._
   - _He lost the rally by hitting the ball into the net._
8. An upward recovery in prices following a decline, said of a market, stock, or similar.
   - Simple: A rise in prices on the market after they have been falling.
   - _Investors welcomed the late-afternoon rally that erased the morning's losses._
   - _A sharp rally in oil prices lifted energy shares._
11. Good-humored teasing and banter exchanged in a friendly spirit.
   - Simple: Friendly teasing and joking, done in a good-natured way.
   - _Their letters were full of affectionate rally and teasing._
   - _The dinner passed in easy rally between old friends._

## Verb

3. To come back into orderly arrangement and renew united effort, as scattered troops regroup and assemble.
   - Simple: To come back together in good order after being scattered, the way soldiers regroup.
   - _Exhausted and scattered, the regiment rallied at the ridge before nightfall._
   - _Good units rally fast once an officer restores order._
4. To collect scattered or confused troops and bring them back into order; to gather and reunite them.
   - Simple: To gather scattered people back together and put them into good order again.
   - _The captain rallied his scattered men and led them back into the line._
   - _Strong leaders rally their followers after a defeat._
5. To gather one's strength or vital powers again; to regain health or consciousness.
   - Simple: To get your strength or health back after being weak or sick.
   - _After days of fever, the old man finally rallied._
   - _Patients often rally once the infection is brought under control._
9. Of a market or stock, to recover and rise again after a decline in prices.
   - Simple: To go back up in price after a fall.
   - _The index rallied sharply in the final hour of trading._
   - _Markets tend to rally once uncertainty fades._
10. To tease or make fun of someone in a friendly, good-humored way.
   - Simple: To make fun of someone in a friendly, joking way.
   - _The old sailors rallied the new recruit about his seasickness._
   - _They would rally him good-naturedly whenever he forgot a name._

## Origin

**Meanings 1–9** — From Middle French rallier (modern French rallier), from Old French ralier, built from the Latin prefix re- plus ad and ligare, meaning 'to bind' or 'to ally'.
**Meanings 10–11** — From French railler; compare rail in the sense 'to scoff'.

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/rally (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).