DICT.TW Dictionary Taiwan

 al·le·giance /əˈliʤən(t)s/
 忠誠,忠貞

 Al·le·giance n.
 1. The tie or obligation, implied or expressed, which a subject owes to his sovereign or government; the duty of fidelity to one's king, government, or state.
 2. Devotion; loyalty; as, allegiance to science.
 Syn: -- Loyalty; fealty.
 Usage: Allegiance, Loyalty. These words agree in expressing the general idea of fidelity and attachment to the “powers that be.” Allegiance is an obligation to a ruling power. Loyalty is a feeling or sentiment towards such power. Allegiance may exist under any form of government, and, in a republic, we generally speak of allegiance to the government, to the state, etc. In well conducted monarchies, loyalty is a warm-hearted feeling of fidelity and obedience to the sovereign. It is personal in its nature; and hence we speak of the loyalty of a wife to her husband, not of her allegiance. In cases where we personify, loyalty is more commonly the word used; as, loyalty to the constitution; loyalty to the cause of virtue; loyalty to truth and religion, etc.
    Hear me, recreant, on thine allegiance hear me!   --Shak.
 So spake the Seraph Abdiel, faithful found, . . .
 Unshaken, unseduced, unterrified,
 His loyalty he kept, his love, his zeal.   --Milton.
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 allegiance
      n 1: the act of binding yourself (intellectually or emotionally)
           to a course of action; "his long commitment to public
           service"; "they felt no loyalty to a losing team" [syn:
           commitment, loyalty, dedication]
      2: the loyalty that citizens owe to their country (or subjects
         to their sovereign) [syn: fealty]