• (RP, America) IPA: /ˈɹæli/

From Middle French rallier (French rallier), from Old French ralier, from Latin - prefix re- + ad + ligare ("to bind; to ally").

rally (plural rallies)

1. A public gathering or mass meeting that is not mainly a protest and is organized to inspire enthusiasm for a cause.

   a campaign rally

   an election rally

2. A protest or demonstration for or against something, but often with speeches and often without marching, especially in North America.

   a political rally

3. (squash, table tennis, tennis, badminton) A sequence of strokes between serving and scoring a point.
4. (motor racing) An event in which competitors drive through a series of timed special stages at intervals. The winner is the driver who completes all stages with the shortest cumulative time.
5. (business, trading) A recovery after a decline in prices (said of the market, stocks, etc.)

• French: rassemblement, meeting; demonstration: manifestation
• German: Kundgebung
• Italian: raduno; demonstration: manifestazione
• Portuguese: comício
• Russian: ми́тинг
• Spanish: mitin

• German: Ballwechsel

• French: rallye, rally
• German: Rallye
• Portuguese: rali
• Russian: ра́лли
• Spanish: rally

rally (rallies, present participle rallying; simple past and past participle rallied)

1. (transitive) To collect, and reduce to order, as troops dispersed or thrown into confusion; to gather again; to reunite.

   Synonyms: muster

2. (intransitive) To come into orderly arrangement; to renew order, or united effort, as troops scattered or put to flight; to assemble.

   Synonyms: unite

   • 1664, John Tillotson, “Sermon I. The Wisdom of Being Religious. Job XXVIII. 28.”, in The Works of the Most Reverend Dr. John Tillotson, Late Lord Archbishop of Canterbury: […], 8th edition, London: […] T. Goodwin, B[enjamin] Tooke, and J. Pemberton, […]; J. Round […], and J[acob] Tonson] […], published 1720, →OCLC ↗:

     Innumerable parts of matter chanced just then to rally together, and to form themselves into this new world.

   • 1697, Virgil, translated by John Dryden, The Works of Virgil: Containing His Pastorals, Georgics, and Æneis. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC ↗:

     The Grecians rally, and their powers unite.

3. (ambitransitive) To collect one's vital powers or forces; to regain health or consciousness.

   Synonyms: recuperate

   • 1837, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], Ethel Churchill: Or, The Two Brides. […], volume II, London: Henry Colburn, […], →OCLC ↗, pages 40–41 ↗:

     Norbourne was almost thankful for any excuse that enabled him to avoid seeing Lady Marchmont. In vain he sought to rally his spirits, and to conceal his depression; but the idea of Ethel mocked his efforts to forget.

4. (business, trading, of the market, stocks etc., intransitive) To recover strength after a decline in prices.

   Synonyms: bounce back, rebound

   Antonyms: decline

• French: rallier
• Portuguese: reorganizar, reunir
• Russian: сплачивать
• Spanish: reagrupar, reunir

• French: rallier
• Portuguese: reagrupar
• Spanish: reorganizar, ensamblar, unir

• Russian: оправля́ться
• Spanish: recobrarse, recuperarse, volver en sí

• Spanish: repuntar, recuperarse

From French railler.

rally (rallies, present participle rallying; simple past and past participle rallied)

1. (transitive) To tease; to chaff good-humouredly.
   • 1777, Richard Brinsley Sheridan, The School for Scandal, II.iii:

     But you must not rally him on the subject Sir Oliver—'tis a tender Point I assure you though He has been married only seven months.

   • 1711 August 11 (Gregorian calendar), [Joseph Addison; Richard Steele et al.], “TUESDAY, July 31, 1711”, in The Spectator, number 132; republished in Alexander Chalmers, editor, The Spectator; a New Edition, […], volume II, New York, N.Y.: D[aniel] Appleton & Company, 1853, →OCLC ↗:

     Honeycomb […] rallies me after his way upon my country life.

     The spelling has been modernized.

   • 1713 (indicated as 1714), [John] Gay, “Book I”, in The Fan. A Poem. […], London: […] J[acob] Tonson, […], →OCLC ↗, page 5 ↗:

     Strephon had long confeſs'd his am'rous Pain, / VVhich gay Corinna railly'd vvith Diſdain: […]

   • 1863, J[oseph] Sheridan Le Fanu, “In Which the Sun Sets, and the Merry-making is Kept Up by Candle-light in the King’s House, and Lily Receives a Warning Which She Does Not Comprehend”, in The House by the Church-yard. […], volume I, London: Tinsley, Brothers, […], →OCLC ↗, page 246 ↗:

     So the athletic Magnolia instantly impounded the little Lieutenant, and began to rally him, in the sort of slang she delighted in, with plenty of merriment and malice upon his tendre for Miss Chattesworth, and made the gallant young gentleman blush and occasionally smile, and bow a great deal, and take some snuff.

rally (uncountable)

1. Good-humoured raillery.