con·fed·er·a·cy /kənˈfɛd(ə)rəsi/
 聯盟,邦聯
 Con·fed·er·a·cy n.; pl. Confederacies
 1. A league or compact between two or more persons, bodies of men, or states, for mutual support or common action; alliance.
 The friendships of the world are oft
 Confederacies in vice or leagues of pleasure.   --Addison.
    He hath heard of our confederacy.   --Shak.
    Virginia promoted a confederacy.   --Bancroft.
 2. The persons, bodies, states, or nations united by a league; a confederation.
    The Grecian common wealth, . . . the most heroic confederacy that ever existed.   --Harris.
    Virgil has a whole confederacy against him.   --Dryden.
 3. Law A combination of two or more persons to commit an unlawful act, or to do a lawful act by unlawful means. See Conspiracy.
 Syn: -- League; compact; alliance; association; union; combination; confederation.
 Con·fed·er·a·cy, n. Amer. Hist. With the, the Confederate States of America.
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 Confederacy
      n 1: the southern states that seceded from the United States in
           1861 [syn: Confederate States, Confederate States of
           America, South, Dixie, Dixieland]
      2: a union of political organizations [syn: confederation, federation]
      3: a group of conspirators banded together to achieve some
         harmful or illegal purpose [syn: conspiracy]
      4: a secret agreement between two or more people to perform an
         unlawful act [syn: conspiracy]