01 n. Relationship by marriage (as between a husband and his wife's blood relations, or between a wife and her husband's blood relations); -- in …
pl.
Affinities
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1.
Relationship by marriage (as between a husband and his wife's blood relations, or between a wife and her husband's blood relations); -- in contradistinction to consanguinity, or relationship by blood; -- followed by with, to, or between.“Solomon made affinity with Pharaoh.” — 1 Kings iii. 1.
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2.
Kinship generally; close agreement; relation; conformity; resemblance; connection; as, the affinity of sounds, of colors, or of languages.“There is a close affinity between imposture and credulity.” — Sir G. C. Lewis.
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3.
Companionship; acquaintance.[Obs.]“About forty years past, I began a happy affinity with William Cranmer.” — Burton.
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4.
That attraction which takes place, at an insensible distance, between the heterogeneous particles of bodies, and unites them to form chemical compounds; chemism; chemical or elective affinity or attraction.(Chem.)
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5.
A relation between species or higher groups dependent on resemblance in the whole plan of structure, and indicating community of origin.(Nat. Hist.)
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6.
A superior spiritual relationship or attraction held to exist sometimes between persons, esp. persons of the opposite sex; also, the man or woman who exerts such psychical or spiritual attraction.(Spiritualism)