The spelling of the word "rally" is derived from the Old French word "ralier", meaning "to reunite, bring together". The pronunciation of the word is ˈræli with a short 'a' sound and two syllables. The letter 'a' in this case is pronounced as /æ/ phonetically. The double 'l' occurs before 'y' as in other English words such as "tally" and "ally". While most commonly used as a noun or verb to refer to a political or sporting gathering, "rally" has also a military connotation, meaning to assemble troops for battle.
A rally refers to various instances where individuals come together for a collective purpose, typically involving demonstration or support for a particular cause, idea, or person. It involves a large gathering or assembly of people who express their shared beliefs, concerns, or demands through speeches, signs, chants, and other forms of collective action. Rallies can encompass a diverse range of contexts such as political, social, or even sporting events.
Politically, rallies often serve as a platform for candidates or political parties to address their supporters and potential voters, conveying their ideologies and proposals. These gatherings serve to mobilize and galvanize supporters, showcasing unity and promoting solidarity amongst the attendees. Social rallies can address various issues including social justice, human rights, or environmental activism. In such cases, participants aim to raise awareness of a particular cause and demand change from governments, institutions, or the public at large.
Rallies are not limited to political or social contexts, as they can also be observed in the realm of sports, particularly motorsports. In this setting, a rally refers to a competitive racing event held on public or private roads, typically on a circuit with various stages and checkpoints. Participants navigate these stages using a limited amount of time, and the winner is determined based on their overall time and performance. Rally racing showcases speed, endurance, and skill, attracting motorsport enthusiasts from around the world.
In summary, a rally is a large gathering where individuals come together to express their collective beliefs, demands, or support for various causes, individuals, or sports events.
• To joke; to banter; to attack with good-humoured satire, or with slight contempt.
• To collect and reduce to order, as troops thrown into confusion after a defeat; to put into order; to recover or resume strength and vigour.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word "rally" originates from the Old French word "rallier", which means "to reunite" or "to bring together". It was derived from the Old Frankish word "hrod" (meaning "fame" or "glory") combined with the Germanic suffix "-al" (indicating action or process). Over time, "rallier" evolved to refer to the act of gathering or assembling troops or forces for battle. From there, the term expanded to include various gatherings or demonstrations of support, leading to its modern usage as a noun or verb in contexts unrelated to warfare.