[ad. L. alligātiōn-em, n. of action f. alligāre: see ALLIGATE.]
1. The action of attaching by some bond; the state of being attached, physical conjunction. rare.
a. 1555. Ridley, Wks., 266. Christ’s church is universally spread throughout the world, not contained in the alligation of places.
1651. J. F[reake], Agrippa’s Occ. Philos., 92. Vitall vertue is sent … from the trunk to the twig graffed into it, by way of contact and alligation.
1868. Seyd, Bullion, 238. Iridium is found … in alligation with the latter metal.
2. The ‘Rule of Mixtures’; the arithmetical method of solving questions concerning the mixing of articles of different qualities or values.
1542. Recorde, Gr. Artes (1575), 419. Alligation … hath his name, for that by it there are dyuers parcels of sundry pryces, and sundrie quantities, alligate, bounde or mixed togither.
1695. Alingham, Geom. Epit., 73. The Rules of Fellowship, Aligation, with others.
1827. Hutton, Course Math., I. 133. Alligation teaches how to compound or mix together several simples of different qualities, so that the composition may be of some intermediate quality, or rate. It is commonly distinguished into two cases, Alligation Medial, and Alligation Alternate.
1833. Pen. Cycl., I. 348/2. Alligation … by which the price of a mixture is found when the price of the ingredients is known.
