Forms: 5 ligg, (? 5–)6 leage, Sc. lig, 6 lege, liage, leag(ge, Sc. leig, lyge, lyig, 6–7 ligue, leaug(e, 6– league. [The form ligue, lig, is a. F. ligue, ad. It. liga, var. of lega, vbl. sb. f. legare to bind:—L. ligāre. The form le(a)ge is perh. ad. It. lega.]
1. A military, political or commercial covenant or compact made between parties for their mutual protection and assistance against a common enemy, the prosecution or safeguarding of joint interests, and the like; a body of states or persons associated in such a covenant, a confederacy.
1452. in Tytler, Hist. Scot. (1864), II. 387. I … binds and obliss me, that I shall make na bond, na ligg … quhilk sall be contrar till his heines.
1509. Fisher, Funeral Serm. Hen. VII., Wks. (1876), 269. Leages and confyderyes he hadde with all crysten prynces.
1513. Douglas, Æneis, III. vii. 63. And this same lyge with our posteritie Sall euir remane in faith and vnite.
1553. Eden, Treat. Newe Ind. (Arb.), 13. The cytiezins of Aden had … made a leage with the Portugales.
1596. Dalrymple, trans. Leslie’s Hist. Scot., II. 132. This League or band being maid betweine the king and the hail natione. Ibid., V. 262. To make a Leagge or band wt the Scotis or Peichtis against the Jnglismen.
1613. Shaks., Hen. VIII., I. i. 95. France hath flaw’d the League, and hath attach’d Our Merchants goods at Burdeux.
1651. Hobbes, Leviath., II. xxii. 121. Leagues are commonly made for mutuall defence.
1678. C. Hatton, in H. Corr. (1878), 160. Ye league offensive and defensive wth ye States Genll.
1783. Watson, Philip III. (1839), 17. Count Hohenloe was in Germany, employed in exciting the princes of the league of Munster to take the field against the Spaniards.
1858. Froude, Hist. Eng., III. xvii. 451. The danger of a Protestant league compelled the Catholic powers to bury their rivalries.
b. spec. in Hist. The League, a league formed in 1576 under the direction of the Guises, to prevent the accession of Henry IV. to the French throne. Holy League, a name given to several leagues in European history, as that formed by Pope Julius II. against the French in 1511 and the Nuremberg League of 1538. Hanseatic, Latin League: see these adjs. Solemn League and Covenant: see COVENANT sb. 9 a.
By writers on ancient history the word is used in the designation of certain confederations of states, as the Ætolian league, the Amphictyonic league, etc.
1589. I. L. (title), The Birth, Purpose, and mortal Wound of the Romish holie League.
1684. Dryden (title), The history of the League. Written in French by M. Maimbourg. Translated into English.
1706. Phillips (ed. Kersey), Leaguer, one concern’d in the League or Confederacy in France, in the time of King Henry III and IV.
1727–41. Chambers, Cycl., s.v., The League, by way of eminence, denotes that famous one on foot in France, from the year 1576 to 1593.
1769. Robertson, Chas. V., IV. Wks. 1813, V. 401. The king of England was declared protector of this league, which they dignified by the name of holy, because the pope was at the head of it.
1838. Thirlwall, Greece, I. 375. The Amphictyonic league or council. Ibid., III. 39. The Delphians … were … induced … to renounce their union with the Phocian league.
1861. Dyer, Mod. Europe, II. 194. An alliance against the Sultan, called the Holy League, was … concluded between himself [Pius V.], Philip II., and the Venetians. Ibid., 450. The Catholic States of the Circles of Suabia and Bavaria agreed to enter into an alliance which afterwards obtained the name of the Holy League.
c. In recent times often adopted in the names of certain associations of individuals or of societies for some common object. Anti-Corn-Law League: a political association formed in 1838 to procure the abolition of the existing Corn Laws. Football League: see quot. 18992. Land, Primrose, Reform League: see these sbs.
1846. Wellington, in Croker Papers (1884), III. xxiv. 51. There were no persons in that assembly capable of sustaining in debate the existing Corn Law against Cobden and the League.
1883. Catholic Dict. (1896), 554. The Catholic Total Abstinence League of the Cross was founded in 1873.
1883. Whitaker’s Almanack, 227/2. National Sunday League,… National Temperance League. Ibid. (1889), 564/1. A Football League has been formed, including twelve of the leading North and Midland clubs…. These clubs play a sort of American tournament for the League Championship.
1894. Athletic News, 5 Nov., 1/2. The position of Notts in the League is occasioning very considerable anxiety.
1899. Ld. Aldenham, Colloq. Currency (1900), Pref. 9. They even proposed to hear me, as president of the Bimetallic League.
1899. G. O. Smith, in Football (Badm. Libr.), 170. It was at this stage Mr. MacGregor … brought forward his idea of a football union between the leading clubs of the day…. The following twelve clubs were invited to form a union between themselves…. Thus was the League formed. Ibid., 171. The League was formed chiefly for the purpose of insuring a series of first-class games [etc.].
† d. A document in which the terms of a league are set down. Obs.
1642. C. Vernon, Consid. Exch., 43. The Treasury, where the ancient Leagues of the Realme … and divers other ancient Records doe lye.
1652. Needham, trans. Selden’s Mare Cl., 89. The Transcripts of Leagues and Treaties.
2. gen. A covenant, compact, alliance. Now rare.
1509. Hawes, Conv. Swearers, 42. How that ye breke the lege of sothfastnesse.
1534. More, On the Passion, Wks. 1325/2. Thys is the bloud of the leage, that oure Lorde hathe made with you vppon al these wordes.
1577–87. Holinshed, Chron., III. 1220/1. Contrarie to the leagues and quietnesse of both the realmes of England and Scotland.
1594. Shaks., Rich. III., I. iii. 281. Ile kisse thy hand, In signe of League and amity with thee. Ibid. (c. 1600), Sonn., xlvii. Betwixt mine eye and heart a league is tooke.
1604. E. G[rimstone], D’Acosta’s Hist. Indies, IV. x. 236. Though there be a league and simpathie betwixt golde and quicke-silver.
1611. Bible, 1 Sam. xxii. 8. My sonne hath made a league with the sonne of Iesse.
1621. Burton, Anat. Mel., I. i. II. viii. (1651), 25. The Appetite … which by an admirable league of Nature, and by mediation of the spirit commands the organ by which it moves.
1644. Milton, Judgm. Bucer, Wks. 1738, I. 284. Those duties … wherby the league of wedloc is chiefly preserved.
c. 1645. Howell, Lett., I. vii. (1650), 10. Our first ligue of love, you know, was contracted among the Muses in Oxford.
1667. Milton, P. L., IV. 339. Linkt in happie nuptial League.
1831. Brewster, Newton (1855), II. xxiv. 359. By thus uniting philosophy with religion, he dissolved the league which genius had formed with scepticism.
1833. Lamb, Elia, Ser. II. Product. Mod. Art. What associating league to the imagination can there be between the seers, or the seers not, of a presential miracle?
3. Phr. † a. To enter league: to make a covenant or alliance; to INTERLEAGUE. Obs.
1579. Lyly, Euphues (Arb.), 49. I studyed … to enter league with such a one as might direct my steps.
1590. Greene, Orl. Fur. (1599), C 2. I maruaile Medor, what my father meanes, To enter league with Countie Sacrepant?
1618. Bolton, Florus (1636), 149. They did choose to enter league, when they could have made an end of him.
b. In league with: having a compact with, allied with.
1565. Cooper, Thesaurus, Fœderati,… confederate: in league, or alliance with.
1611. Bible, Job v. 23. For thou shalt be in league with the stones of the field.
1611. [see LEAGUE v.1 1].
1808. Scott, Marm., II. vii. Jealousy … With sordid avarice in league.
1859. Dickens, T. Two Cities, I. ii. For anybody on the road might be a robber or in league with robbers.
1865. Kingsley, Herew., xxi. Look you, villains, this fellow is in league with you.
4. attrib. and Comb., as league-breaker, -fellow, † -friend, -union; (sense 1 c) league-game, -system, -team; league-hut (see quot.).
1561. Norton, Calvin’s Inst., IV. 104. Beeyng receyued by the hande of a *leaguebreaker preste.
1671. Milton, Samson, 1184. When they took thee As a League-breaker.
1561. Daus, trans. Bullinger on Apoc. (1573), 175. The Gothians, and other *league fellowes of the People of Rome.
1553. Grimalde, Cicero’s Offices, II. (1558), 83. Warres were made eyther for defence of *leagfrendes or for empire.
1895. Outing (U.S.), XXVII. 251/2. If the American universities would send delegates to see our *league games.
1888. ‘P. Daryl,’ Ireland’s Disease, 137. These are *League-huts, a temporary shelter which the [Land] League offers to ejected tenants.
1899. G. O. Smith, in Football (Badm. Libr.), 171. In accordance with the *League system a certain number of clubs play home and home matches together. Ibid., 182. Four *League teams.
1639. Glapthorne, Argalus & P., IV. 39. Palmes (That do with amorous mixture twine their boughes Into a *league-union).
