INDEX:
1. the relationship between two people or groups
2. to have a good relationship
3. to have a bad relationship
4. to have a romantic or sexual relationship with someone
5. a romantic or sexual relationship
RELATED WORDS
be connected with something : ↑ CONNECTED WITH/RELATED
to start to know someone : ↑ KNOW/NOT KNOW
to end a relationship : ↑ SEPARATE (7)
to leave a relationship : ↑ LEAVE
see also
↑ FRIEND
↑ FRIENDLY
↑ UNFRIENDLY
↑ GIRLFRIEND/BOYFRIEND
↑ SEX
↑ GAY
↑ MARRY
↑ DIVORCE
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1. the relationship between two people or groups
▷ relationship /rɪˈleɪʃ ə nʃɪp/ [countable noun]
the way that two people or groups feel about each other and behave towards each other :
▪ Women are usually more interested in discussing relationships than men.
relationship with
▪ His relationship with his parents had never been very good.
▪ Successful companies know the importance of establishing good relationships with their customers.
relationship between
▪ There has been a fundamental shift in the relationship between the U.S. and Russia.
a close relationship
when you know someone very well and like them a lot
▪ They’d known each other for years and had a very close relationship.
▷ relations /rɪˈleɪʃ ə nz/ [plural noun]
the public relationship between groups, organizations, or countries, especially when this affects how well they work together :
relations between
▪ Relations between management and workers have improved.
relations with
▪ We all understand the importance of maintaining good relations with China.
race relations
between people of different races
▪ Since the riot, race relations in the city have not been good.
diplomatic relations
between the governments of two countries
▪ The U.S. has not had normal diplomatic relations with Cuba since the 1960s.
industrial relations British labor relations
American between workers and managers
▪ The new contract should improve labor relations in the school district.
trade relations
involving exchanging goods between companies
▪ Trade relations between eastern and western Europe continue to expand.
▷ ties /taɪz/ [plural noun]
a strong relationship between two people, organizations, or countries, especially when they have responsibilities towards each other or official agreements with each other :
▪ The group has stayed together because of cultural, social, and other ties.
ties with
▪ The country wants its independence, and intends to loosen its ties with Britain.
ties between
▪ Since the accident, the ties between father and son have grown even stronger.
family ties
between members of a family
▪ As younger members of the family moved away, the family ties began to weaken.
▷ rapport /ræˈpɔːʳ/ [singular noun]
a good relationship between people who understand and agree with each others’ opinions and ideas :
rapport with
▪ You are lucky to have such a good rapport with your boss.
rapport between
▪ There seems to be a better rapport between players and officials now than in the past.
establish a rapport
▪ Before you do business with someone, it is important to establish a rapport.
easy rapport
good rapport
▪ Alison and Johnny had an easy rapport that was clear to everyone.
▷ bond /bɒndǁbɑːnd/ [countable noun]
a very strong relationship between two people or groups that makes it difficult for them to separate from each other :
▪ The mountain community is held together by deep historical and religious bonds.
bond between
▪ The bond between mother and child is extremely strong.
bond with
▪ It’s almost inevitable that the client will form a very close bond with the therapist.
bonds of friendship/affection/attachment
▪ Over the years the two men had developed deep bonds of friendship.
▷ chemistry /ˈkemɪstri, ˈkeməstri/ [uncountable noun]
a good and often exciting and romantic relationship between two people who naturally like, understand, and admire each other, even if they have very different characters and attitudes :
▪ Chuck’s a nice guy, but the chemistry isn’t right.
chemistry between
▪ As soon as we met I could feel the chemistry between us.
▪ The chemistry between the two stars makes the movie a pleasure to watch.
▷ affinity /əˈfɪnɪti, əˈfɪnəti/ [singular/uncountable noun]
a feeling of liking and understanding someone because you have the same interests or beliefs as them, or because you are in the same situation as them :
▪ We have a deep affinity formed through many years of friendship.
affinity between
▪ They seemed so different, yet he sensed an affinity between them.
affinity with
▪ Venetians feel more affinity with inhabitants of Vienna than with those of Rome.
2. to have a good relationship
▷ have a good relationship /hæv ə ˌgʊd rɪˈleɪʃ ə nʃɪp/ [verb phrase not in progressive]
when two people or groups are friendly towards each other and work well together :
▪ My boss and I have a very good relationship.
have a good relationship with
▪ It’s important that the school have a good relationship with the students’ parents.
▪ The president has a good working relationship with this Congress.
▷ get along also get on British /get əˈlɒŋǁ-əˈlɔːŋ, get ˈɒn/ [intransitive phrasal verb]
if two or more people get along or get on, they have a friendly relationship with each other :
▪ I don’t understand why you two girls don’t get along.
get along with
▪ He’s very easy to get along with.
▪ Martin was chosen because he is a good administrator who gets along with everyone.
get along/on well
▪ We all get on really well, so we’re going to share a flat next year.
get along/on like a house on fire
extremely well
▪ I wasn’t sure whether David and Ann would like each other, but they got on like a house on fire.
▷ be on good terms /ˌbiː ɒn gʊd ˈtɜːʳmz/ [verb phrase]
if people are on good terms, they have a polite relationship and they can work well together, but they are not close friends :
▪ They divorced several years ago, but they’re still on good terms.
be on good terms with
▪ We’re on good terms with all our neighbours except the couple upstairs.
▪ Taylor has managed to remain on good terms with his former employers.
▷ close /kləʊs/ [adjective]
if two or more people are close, they like each other very much, and can talk to each other about their feelings, their problems etc :
▪ Dad and I have always been very close.
close to
▪ She was never very close to her stepmother.
close friend
▪ It turns out that Julie is a close friend of my cousin Kelly.
3. to have a bad relationship
▷ not get along also not get on British /nɒt get əˈlɒŋǁ-əˈlɔːŋ, nɒt get ˈɒn/ [verb phrase]
if people do not get along or do not get on, they have a bad relationship and they often argue and disagree with each other :
▪ Barney and I just don’t get along.
not get along with
▪ Troy doesn’t get along with the coach, so he’s thinking of quitting the team.
▪ She never got on with her father and she hates her new stepmother.
▷ have a falling-out also fall out British /hæv ə ˌfɔːlɪŋ ˈaʊt, ˌfɔːl ˈaʊt/ [verb phrase/ intransitive phrasal verb]
if friends or relatives have a falling-out or they fall out, they have an argument and stop being friendly with each other :
▪ They fell out last year, and they won’t even speak to each other now.
▪ The three children had an enormous falling-out over their inheritance when their father died.
have a falling-out with
▪ He’s fallen out with his girlfriend again.
▪ Daly had a falling-out with her boss, which led to her being fired.
▷ incompatible /ˌɪnkəmˈpætɪb ə l, ˌɪnkəmˈpætəb ə l/ [adjective]
people who are incompatible cannot have a good relationship with each other because they are completely different in their characters, interests etc :
▪ We’re completely incompatible - she’s a neat freak, and I hate to clean.
▪ They’ve always seemed so incompatible - no wonder they’re getting a divorce.
▷ drive a wedge between somebody /ˌdraɪv ə ˈwedʒ bɪˈtwiːn somebody/ [verb phrase]
if something drives a wedge between two people or groups, it has a bad effect on their relationship :
▪ The war had driven a wedge between the President and his liberal supporters.
▪ Romley’s lawsuit drove the wedge even farther between the two former friends.
4. to have a romantic or sexual relationship with someone
▷ go out with also go with American /gəʊ ˈaʊt wɪð, ˈgəʊ wɪð/ [transitive phrasal verb]
to have someone as your girlfriend or boyfriend :
▪ How long have you been going out with Mindy?
▪ Is she still going with that guy who works at the gas station?
be going (out) together
▪ Mark and I have been going out together for four years.
▷ be seeing /biː ˈsiːɪŋ/ [verb phrase]
to have a romantic or sexual relationship with someone, especially a relationship that is not very serious and does not last very long :
▪ Do you know if Tanya’s seeing anyone at the moment?
▪ A couple of years after they got married, he started seeing other women.
▷ have a relationship /ˌhæv ə rɪˈleɪʃ ə nʃɪp/ [verb phrase]
to have a romantic or sexual relationship with someone, especially one that continues for a long time :
▪ I have had several relationships before, but this is special.
▪ They’d been having a relationship for over a year when Julie found out she was pregnant.
have a relationship with
▪ Would you even consider having a relationship with a man like Denny?
▷ have an affair /ˌhæv ən əˈfeəʳ/ [verb phrase]
to have a secret sexual relationship with someone who is not your husband or wife :
▪ I’d kill my husband if I found out he’d been having an affair.
have an affair with
▪ The senator has been accused of having an affair with his publicity assistant.
▷ be involved with /biː ɪnˈvɒlvd wɪðǁ-ˈvɑːlvd-/ [verb phrase]
to be having a serious relationship with someone, especially someone who is not suitable for you :
▪ She’s involved with a much older man.
▪ The school has strict rules against teachers becoming involved with students.
▪ Brad doesn’t want to get involved with anyone right now. He’s still upset about Suzanne.
▷ date /deɪt/ [verb phrase usually in progressive] American
to be having a relationship with someone, especially a relationship that is not very serious yet :
▪ How long have Paul and Sue been dating?
▪ What is a man his age doing dating a 17-year-old?
▪ I thought we were just friends, but when I started dating other men, he suddenly got really jealous.
5. a romantic or sexual relationship
▷ relationship /rɪˈleɪʃ ə nʃɪp/ [countable noun]
when two people spend time together or live together because they are romantically or sexually attracted to each other :
▪ After her marriage broke up, she had a series of disastrous relationships.
relationship with
▪ I don’t want to start a relationship with her, because I’m going back to South Africa.
relationship between
▪ Relationships between people of different cultures are often extremely difficult.
be in a relationship
▪ Why are all the interesting men I meet already in relationships?
sexual relationship
▪ Several of the psychiatrists admitted to having sexual relationships with patients.
romantic relationship
▪ Even at 35, Bobby seemed unable to commit to a romantic relationship.
▷ affair /əˈfeəʳ/ [countable noun]
a secret sexual relationship between two people, when one or both of them is married to someone else :
▪ The affair had been going on for years before her husband found out.
affair with
▪ I had no idea that Mike had an affair with Carolyn!
love affair
▪ Burton had been involved in a love affair with a woman who ended up taking most of his money.
▷ fling /flɪŋ/ [countable noun]
a short and not very serious relationship :
▪ Yes, I did go out with him, but it was just a fling.
▪ She wasn’t interested in anything more than a casual fling.
fling with
▪ She left her husband after she learned about his fling with an exotic dancer.
have a fling
▪ They had a fling years ago.
▷ romance /rəʊˈmæns, rə-, ˈrəʊmæns/ [countable noun]
an exciting and often short relationship between two people who feel very much in love with each other :
▪ It was a beautiful summer romance, but they knew it couldn’t last.
▪ Richard and Penny had made no great secret of their romance, even though they were both married.
romance with
▪ My romance with Lois did not survive our high school graduation.