# reliance
## English
### Alternative forms

* relyance (obsolete)

### Etymology

From rely +‎ -ance.

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /ɹɪˈlaɪəns/
* Audio (UK):(file)
* Rhymes: -aɪəns

### Noun

reliance (countable and uncountable, plural reliances)
* The act of relying (on or in someone or something); trust.
    Your reliance on his expertise may be misplaced.
** c. 1605–1608, William Shakespeare, “The Life of Tymon of Athens”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene i]:[…] his days and times are past And my reliances on his fracted [i.e. broken] dates Have smit my credit:
** 1752, Charlotte Lennox, The Female Quixote‎, London: A. Millar, Volume 2, Book 9, Chapter 9, p. 288:How unfavourable is Chance, said Arabella fretting at the Disappointment, to Persons who have any Reliance upon it!
** 1867, Thomas Babington Macaulay, “Samuel Johnson”, in Biographical and Historical Sketches‎, New York: Appleton, page 54:It was out of his power to support his son at either university; but a wealthy neighbor offered assistance; and, in reliance on promises which proved to be of very little value, Samuel was entered at Pembroke College, Oxford.
** 1912, W. Somerset Maugham, Mrs. Dot‎, London: Heinemann, act 2, page 89:I put infinite reliance in your tact.
** 1962, C. S. Forester, chapter 3, in Hornblower and the Hotspur‎, London: Michael, Joseph:Hornblower could see in a flash that he could place implicit reliance on Bush’s seamanship.
* The condition of being reliant or dependent.
    The industry is working to phase out its reliance on fossil fuels.
** 1933 September 25, “‘Rumbling’ & ‘Goosing’”, in Time:[…] he contended that habitual reliance on engine power causes a pilot to lose his ability to make a forced landing “deadstick” if necessary.
** 2016 July 20, Roger Wilkins, “Australia’s economic wellbeing is at a standstill as rift between young and old widens”, in The Guardian:Poverty in Australia has declined, welfare reliance has stabilised and long-term poverty is becoming rare—but overall economic wellbeing is no longer improving […]
* (dated) Anything on which to rely; ground of trust.
    The boat was a poor reliance.
** 1593, Thomas Nashe, Christs Teares ouer Ierusalem‎, London: Thomas Thorp, published 1613, page 69:Thou wert once the chiefe pillar of my posterity, and the whole reliance of my name:
** 1656, Robertson Sanderson, Twenty Sermons‎, London: Henry Seile, Sermon 14, p. 280:A horse is counted but a vain thing, […] to save a man. So are Chariots, and Forts, and Armies, and Navies, and all earthly reliances.
** 1741, [Samuel Richardson], “Letter XXXII”, in Pamela: Or, Virtue Rewarded. […], volume (please specify |volume=I to IV), London: […] C[harles] Rivington, […]; and J. Osborn, […], →OCLC, page 286:Mr. Adams may marry as well as Mr. Williams; and both, I believe, will find God’s Providence a better Reliance, than the richest Benefice in England.
** 1914, Stephen Leacock, chapter 5, in Adventurers of the Far North‎, Toronto: Glasgow, Brook, page 123:Most ominous of all was the discovery of over six hundred empty cans that had held preserved meat, the main reliance of the expedition.
* A person or thing which relies on another. (The addition of quotations indicative of this usage is being sought:)

#### Derived terms

* engendered reliance
* overreliance, over-reliance
* self-reliance

#### Translations
### Anagrams

* careline, cerealin, cinereal