aligners
aligners — verb
- alignerspresent simple I / you / we / they
- alignerses3rd person singular
- alignersing-ing form
- alignersedpast simple
1. to put two or more things into a straight line, or to adjust the position of som
to put two or more things into a straight line, or to adjust the position of something so that it is exactly in the right place relative to something else.
Haruto aligned the books on his desk so that their spines faced the same direction.
The mechanic used a special tool to align the front wheels of the truck.
align + object (physical adjustment)
Wei aligned the telescope with the coordinates the astronomer gave him.
Emma used a ruler to align the poster edge with the edge of the board.
The carpenter aligned the two wooden planks before driving in the nails.
- line up
more informal; common in everyday speech
- straighten
focuses on removing crookedness, not necessarily two objects together
- arrange
broader — any orderly placement, not just in a line
文法句型
align + object
align + object + with + noun
用法筆記
Often used with 'with' to name the object or line being used as a reference point.
常見錯誤
2. to publicly state that you support a particular person, group, or opinion — or t
to publicly state that you support a particular person, group, or opinion — or that you oppose someone or something — especially in a political or social context.
The senator aligned herself with the environmental campaign ahead of the election.
align + oneself + with + noun (declaring support)
Several newspapers have aligned against the new trade policy proposed by the government.
align + against + noun (declaring opposition)
Karim refused to align his company with any political party during the campaign.
The student union aligned itself with the faculty on the issue of campus safety.
Smaller countries often align with larger trading blocs to gain economic advantages.
- oppose
to be against a group or idea
- break with
to stop supporting a group you previously backed
文法句型
align + oneself + with/against + noun
align + institution + with/against + noun
用法筆記
The reflexive form 'align oneself' is very common in formal and political contexts. Without an object, use 'align with' (Sense 3).
常見錯誤
3. to begin sharing the same opinion or position as a person or group, especially a
to begin sharing the same opinion or position as a person or group, especially after listening to arguments or considering the situation.
After the debate, the undecided voters aligned with the candidate who proposed clearer policies.
align + with + noun (shifting opinion)
The younger members of the board aligned behind the new chief executive's vision.
align + behind + noun (agreement showing group unity)
Three of the five judges aligned with the majority opinion in the final ruling.
Noor's views on education reform gradually aligned with those of her colleagues.
The union members aligned behind the strike decision after the vote.
- side
shorter and more colloquial; 'I side with you'
- come round to
suggests a slow change of opinion after initial resistance
- fall in with
slightly informal; agreeing to follow a plan or group
- dissent from
to hold a different opinion from the group
- break away from
to leave a group and go your own way
文法句型
align + with + noun
align + behind + noun
用法筆記
This sense is intransitive — there is no direct object. Compare with Sense 2, which takes a direct object ('align oneself / one's organization'). The subject's position changes over time, as opposed to Sense 4 which describes static correct positioning.
常見錯誤
4. to fit together or match in a precise way — for example, mechanical parts touchi
to fit together or match in a precise way — for example, mechanical parts touching correctly, or data matching a known standard.
The two metal plates must align perfectly before the welding can begin.
intransitive: align + perfectly (mechanical fit)
Greta checked whether the joints of the pipe would align with the existing system.
align + with + noun (precise position)
After the fall, the bones in Linh's wrist did not align properly and needed surgery.
The red dots on the screen aligned with the targets detected by the radar.
The security camera image did not align with the angle the guard remembered seeing.
- match up
slightly more informal; common for both physical and abstract matching
- correspond
more formal; often used for data or measurements
- fit together
describes parts interlocking or joining correctly
文法句型
align + with + noun
align + adverb (perfectly/precisely)
用法筆記
Often describes mechanical, optical, or anatomical fit. In computing and data science, it can describe databases, sequences, or datasets matching a reference format.