alliance: applies to an association formed for the mutual benefit of its members: an ~ between  feminists and religious groups against pornography.    （如an alliance between two countries or parties两国或两党的联盟，如an alliance with Germany与德国的联盟，如U.S. Wechat Users Alliance美微联，截至9月21日已筹款$1,009,765.69美元）    association联系联盟联合体联想，意思是"在一起"存在或出现，如东盟ASEAN，篮球联盟NBA，如把俗丽一组的5个词想成GTGMF光涂膏模粉属于联想记忆


league: suggests a more formal compact often with a definite goal: the ~ of Nations; and may be used to suggest an association for a bad end: in ~ with the devil.   如League of Nations国际联盟，二战后被联合国取代，如league of legends英雄联盟是一款游戏，NFL是美国橄榄球联盟，习语not in the same league口语十分常用，表示二者不在一个水平层次，如can you imagine they are dating? I think John is not in the same league as Lily他们竟然约会了，我觉得John完全配不上Lily  这里compact不是表示紧凑，如CD compact disc，而是表示正式协议a formal agreement  devil恶魔，比evil多个d


coalition: applies to a temporary association of parties often of opposing interests: formed a ~ government with two other parties.   coalition government联合政府


confederation: applies to a union of independent states under a central government to which  powers dealing with common external relations are delegated: the ~ formed by American colonies.         南北战争时南方叫the Confederate States of America美利坚联盟国，简称CSA


federation: implies any union under the terms of a league or covenant, and especially a sovereign power formed by a union of states and having a central government and several state and local governments: the United States of America constitutes a ~.      （covenant有法律约束力的协议约定a formal written agreement，如God's covenant with Abraham上帝与亚伯拉罕的立约，如the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights公民权利和政治权利国际公约；还表示和慈善机构的契约）      如美国是一个联邦制总统制宪法制共和国the U.S.A is a federal presidential constitutional republic，如Federal Bureau of Investigation联邦调查局FBI，如Switzerland is a federal republic瑞士是一个联邦共和国，如Russian Federation是俄罗斯的正式名称


alliance联盟: 指促进成员利益的联合，league联盟: 更正式有明确目标，coalition联盟: 指不同利益攸关方的临时联合，confederation联邦联盟: 指多个独立国家设立中央政府，负责处理共同的外交事务，federation联邦: 多个国家（非独立国家，美国称为州）组成主权国家，设立中央和地方政府


记忆方法: 1）首字母ALCCF是flaccid软弱的前5个字母，联盟通常是软弱乏力无效的<==联盟       盟是会意字，下面是接血的盘盂，上面是明，表示在神前发誓明志结盟的意思。歃血为盟，是喝一点牲血或含一点在口里，表示诚意。现代是割自己的血喝

         2）联盟的意思是促进成员利益的联合体mean an association to further the interests of its members.    （further促进suggests a removing of obstacles in the way of a desired advance表示扫除前进中的障碍，如used the marriage to further his career通过婚姻促进他的事业，如to further the reform and opening to the outside world促进改革开放）