Also aligne-, alline-, alignment. [a. Fr. alignement, f. aligner: see ALINE and -MENT. The Eng. form alinement is preferable to alignment, a bad spelling of the Fr.]
1. Arrangement in a straight or other determined line; mode of arrangement in lines. concr. A line of things arranged.
1790. Roy, in Phil. Trans., LXXX. 133. The deviation from the allignement horizontally or vertically.
1809. J. Barlow, Columb., V. 93. The crossing streets in just allinement run.
1839. Murchison, Silur. Syst., I. xxx. 401. Which range from N.E. to S.W. in allinement with the other ridges.
1853. Kane, Grinnell Exp., xli. (1856), 375. The alignment of the hills shows a northward drift.
1875. Merivale, Gen. Hist. Rome, lxxviii. (1877), 661. It was for this and other sacred ceremonies that its width and straight alignment were maintained.
1881. Nature, XXV. 99/1. Archæological researches in the alignments or stone avenues of Kermario.
2. spec. Arrangement of soldiers in a line or lines; concr. a military ‘line.’
1808. Trial Gen. Whitelocke, I. 28. We were obliged to reoccupy our original alinement and position for pickets.
1816. James, Mil. Dict. (ed. 4), 10. The alignement of a battalion means the situation of a body of men when drawn up in line: The alignement of a camp signifies the relative position of the tents, &c. so as to form a straight line from given points.
1829. G. Gleig, Chelsea Pensioners (1840), 80. We had not assumed our alignement many minutes.
1860. Sir R. Wilson, Invas. Russia, 35. Its alignment had been pierced, and its communications obstructed.
1882. Standard, 20 Nov., 5/6. Getting the Guards into their places in the general alignement on the Mall.
3. The drawing of a straight line in such a position that it shall pass through a particular point.
1869. Eng. Mech., 24 Sept., 6/1. What is known as allinement—drawing imaginary lines through two stars, and producing such lines until they pass close to, or through, others which we are seeking to identify.
1869. Dunkin, Midn. Sky, 146. The stars in this constellation are very easily found by alignment.
b. concr. A line (of section) through fixed points.
1879. C. King, in Cassell’s Techn. Educ., IV. 116/1. It adds much to the value of the plan if a section of the survey on any given alignment be given.
4. The action of bringing into line; straightening.
1879. C. King, in Cassell’s Techn. Educ., IV. 149/1. The straight edge of the ruler being used to guide the alignment.
1881. Daily News, 15 Sept., 3/4. Between St. Mary-at-Hill and the Ship Tavern extensive alignments must take place.
