Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- adjective Steadfast in allegiance to one's homeland, government, or sovereign.
- adjective Faithful to a person, ideal, custom, cause, or duty. synonym: faithful.
- adjective Of, relating to, or marked by loyalty.
from The Century Dictionary.
- True or faithful in allegiance; keeping faith or troth; constant in service, devotion, or regard; not false or treacherous: used especially of allegiance to the sovereign, government, or law, but applied to all other relations of trust or confidence: as, a loyal subject; a loyal friend; to be loyal to one's cause.
- Pertaining to or marked by allegiance or good faith; manifesting fidelity or devotion: as, loyal professions; loyal adherence to a principle.
- Synonyms See
allegiance .
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- adjective Faithful to law; upholding the lawful authority; faithful and true to the lawful government; faithful to the prince or sovereign to whom one is subject; unswerving in allegiance.
- adjective True to any person or persons to whom one owes fidelity, especially as a wife to her husband, lovers to each other, and friend to friend; constant; faithful to a cause or a principle.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- adjective
Firm inallegiance to a person orinstitution . - adjective
Faithful to a person orcause .
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- adjective steadfast in allegiance or duty
- adjective inspired by love for your country
- adjective unwavering in devotion to friend or vow or cause
Etymologies
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
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Examples
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Their capacity to love wholly, and unquestionable, and remain loyal is beyond any animal; indeed, in many cases, it is beyond many humans.
one day we'll look back on this and it will all seem funny 2005
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All of the above being said in the original meaning of the term loyal opposition, it meant the opposition was constructive in its criticism and suggestions.
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As for those who claimed 'GWB is not my president' and stayed the term loyal opposition is obviously lost them.
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Now that's what I call loyal and true American pride.
"Why couldn't President Obama have put on more of a show for his British guests?" Ann Althouse 2009
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On that question he pretended to decline expressing an opinion; but urged the action on the false suggestion that this Grand Lodge had voluntarily repudiated her jurisdiction over what he called the loyal portion of Virginia -- and in the form of queries, argued that that portion of her territory was now a Masonic waste, in which any Grand Lodge might charter a Lodge.
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That is what I call loyal servants alright ... they have yet again demonstrated beyond a shadow of a doubt exactly who they are loyal to.
Teknosis 2009
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These guys need to get their act together and figure out that the “loyal” in loyal opposition is fealty to the country first, and not the party.
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The lure of a big payday, however, is not the only reason he and Brotzman, an information technology consultant, remain loyal to high-stakes fantasy football despite the fragile economy.
For some high-rollers fantasy football is no game, and it's big business Gene Wang 2010
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In fact, so terrible did we make ourselves, that it became a greater peril to betray us than to remain loyal to us.
Chapter 16: The End 2010
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The crews currently associated with New York neighborhoods will remain loyal to ideas set forth by family associations.
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