troops belonging to or allied with your own military forces
"friendlies came to their rescue"
A game which is of no consequence in terms of ranking, betting etc.
"Before the final match could begin, the coach decided to play a friendly against their rivals just for fun since there was nothing at stake regarding rankings or money."
In plain English: A friendly is someone who acts nice and gets along well with others.
"The friendly showed the owner how to use the new button on the machine."
Usage: Do not use "friendly" as a noun to mean a casual game; it is strictly an adjective describing people or actions that are kind and welcoming. Instead, refer to the non-ranking match simply as a "friendly match."
characteristic of or befitting a friend
"friendly advice"
"a friendly neighborhood"
"the only friendly person here"
"a friendly host and hostess"
inclined to help or support; not antagonistic or hostile
"a government friendly to our interests"
"well disposed to the good order and happiness of the United States"
"a relaxed environment well-disposed to the appreciation of good food and fine wine"
easy to understand or use
"user-friendly computers"
"a consumer-friendly policy"
"a reader-friendly novel"
of or belonging to your own country's forces or those of an ally
"in friendly territory"
"he was accidentally killed by friendly fire"
Generally warm, approachable and easy to relate with in character.
"Her friendly demeanor made everyone feel welcome the moment she walked into the room."
In plain English: Friendly means being kind and nice to other people.
"The friendly neighbor waved at me as I walked by."
Usage: Use "friendly" to describe someone who is warm, approachable, and easy to get along with. Do not use it to mean physically close or merely polite without genuine warmth.
In a friendly manner, like a friend.
"She greeted me in such a friendly way that I felt instantly comfortable around her."
In plain English: When something is friendly, it acts in a kind and helpful way toward others.
"He spoke friendly to the stranger, but his tone sounded more like an order than a greeting."
Usage: Do not use "friendly" as an adverb to mean "in a friendly manner"; instead, use the word "friendlily," though this form is rare and often sounds awkward. It is better to rephrase the sentence using "in a friendly way" or simply place an adjective like "friendly" before a noun to describe the person acting.
The word friendly comes from Middle English and Old English, originally meaning "of or relating to a friend." It is formed by combining the root for friend with the suffix -ly.