Unfriendliness, Family, Marriage and 5 More Topics · English Idioms: Relationship

to quarrel or argue with someone

"They parted brass rags."

"After years of disagreement, the two business partners decided to part brass rags and go their separate ways."

having an unfriendly relationship with someone, often due to a disagreement

"He is on bad terms with his brother."

"The two brothers have been on bad terms for years and refuse to attend the same family gatherings."

to support or take care of someone who turns out to be untrustworthy or harmful, despite one's good intentions

"He nursed a viper."

"She realized too late that she had been nurturing a viper in her bosom when her best friend betrayed her."

used to say that two people, teams, organizations, etc. dislike one another

"There's no love lost between them."

"There is little love lost between the rival teams, making every match intense."

a person who is only a friend during good times and is not supportive or reliable during difficult or challenging times

"He is only a fair-weather friend."

"He turned out to be a fair weather friend who disappeared when I lost my job."

an attitude or behavior characterized by a lack of warmth, friendliness, or interest

"Her former friend gives her the cold shoulder."

"Her former friend gives her the cold shoulder and pretends not to see her at the party."

to do something or act in a way that makes it impossible to return to previous situation or state

"He burned his bridges."

"By quitting angrily, she burned her bridges and couldn't return to the company."

a life that is full of fights and arguments

"They lead a cat-and-dog life together."

"The married couple led a cat-and-dog life constantly arguing about money children and everything else under the sun."

to quickly and completely end a relationship or association with someone or something, usually due to negative or undesirable qualities or behaviors

"She dropped him fast."

"After the scandal, fans dropped the celebrity like a bad habit overnight."

to not tolerate or accept someone or something in a particular place or situation

"I give no house room."

"She refused to give that negative attitude any house room in her positive outlook on life."

a child who had parents that were not married to one another

"The king acknowledged his love child."

"The king acknowledged his love child and the boy was given a title and a small estate."

used to refer to a child whose parents were not married at the time of birth

"He was born on the wrong side of the blanket."

"The child was born on the wrong side of the blanket and never knew his real father growing up."

used to refer to a place one was born or grew up in

"She was born and bred."

"She is a Londoner born and bred and knows every street and corner of the city perfectly."

to be expecting a child

"She has a bun oven."

"The happy couple announced to their families that they have a bun in the oven."

to protect or treat someone or something in an overly cautious or overprotective manner

"Don't wrap kids."

"You cannot wrap your children in cotton wool forever because they need to learn from their own mistakes eventually."

a specific sibling combination consisting of a boy and a girl, typically born consecutively in the same family

"They have a pigeon pair"

"They have a pigeon pair one boy and one girl and their family is now complete."

used to describe someone with whom one shares a family relation

"She is my blood."

"He couldn't abandon his own flesh and blood, even when they disagreed."

a lecture or reprimand a wife gives to her husband in private

"She gave him a curtain lecture."

"She gave him a curtain lecture after the guests left and scolded him for his rude jokes."

someone who is regarded as shameful, embarrassing, or disgraceful within their family or group

"He is the black sheep."

"He is the black sheep of the family and chose a career in art instead of medicine like his siblings."

someone who closely resembles their parent, especially in terms of personality, traits, or behavior

"He is a chip."

"The young boy is a chip off the old block he looks just like his father and has the same sense of humour."

to disinherit or withdraw financial support from a family member as a way to express disapproval or to enforce certain behaviors or decisions

"His dad cut him."

"The disappointed parents decided to cut their rebellious son off with a penny after he refused to follow their advice."

used to refer to the youngest child of a family

"He is the Benjamin."

"As the youngest child he is the Benjamin of the family and everyone spoils him terribly."

used to refer to the passing down of traditions, knowledge, values, or skills from one generation to the next, especially from a father to his son

"The business passed from father to son."

"The family business has been passed down from father to son for over five generations successfully."

a woman that is regarded as the one who provides for her family

"He calls his mother "Big Mama"."

"He calls his mother Big Mama and she is the matriarch of the large extended family."

to become someone's husband or wife in marriage

"They tied the knot in June."

"After dating for nearly a decade, the couple finally decided to tie the knot in a beautiful ceremony by the lake."

to get married with or date someone who is much younger than one

"He robbed the cradle last year."

"Many people criticized the famous actor because they believed he was robbing the cradle when he started dating a woman thirty years younger."

to propose someone to join one in marriage

"He finally popped the question."

"He planned a romantic dinner by the lake to pop the question and ask her to marry him."

to abandon the person one is supposed to marry at the last possible moment before the ceremony

"He left her at altar."

"The groom's sudden disappearance meant he would leave his bride at the altar on their wedding day."

to become someone's husband or wife during a special ceremony

"They got hitched last summer."

"After dating for five years, my sister and her boyfriend finally got hitched in a beautiful ceremony."

used to refer to a woman who is unmarried despite being older than the typical age traditionally associated with marriage

"She felt she was on the shelf."

"She worried that she would be left on the shelf if she did not get married before turning thirty years old."

to become someone's wife or husband during a special ceremony

"We finally took the plunge and got married."

"After dating for five years they finally decided to take the plunge and get married in the summer."

to marry someone primarily for their wealth or financial status rather than for love or other personal reasons

"She married money for security."

"He didn't love her, but he decided to marry money to secure his family's financial future."

to get married with a girl or woman one has been dating

"He made an honest woman of her."

"After years of dating and living together, he finally decided to make an honest woman out of his long-term girlfriend."

a relatively short-lived first marriage that serves as a learning experience for one or both partners

"Their starter marriage ended quickly."

"Their starter marriage lasted only a year, serving as a valuable lesson about commitment and compatibility."

to become someone's wife or husband during a special ceremony

"They will take the plunge."

"After dating for ten years, the couple finally decided to take the plunge and get married."

someone, especially a man, who cheats on their partner with another person

"He was a love rat."

"She discovered her partner was a complete love rat when she found messages from multiple other women on his phone."

love that is fake, dishonest, and motivated by the hopes of gaining something

"His affection is cupboard love."

"The child's constant praise for his parents was clearly cupboard love, as he only acted that way when he wanted a new toy."

a person, typically a woman, who enters into a romantic relationship with someone solely for financial gain

"She is a gold digger."

"He suspected his new girlfriend was a gold digger because she constantly asked about his financial assets."

to frequently look at other people, often in a romantic or sexual way, despite being in a committed relationship

"He has a roving eye."

"Despite being happily married, he unfortunately continued to have a roving eye, causing his wife much distress."

a young person's strong, yet brief feeling of love toward someone

"It was just puppy love."

"Puppy love often feels intense but does not last long."

free to do as one pleases without having any attachments, particularly romantic ones

"I am young, footloose, fancy-free."

"After graduating, she felt footloose and fancy-free, eager to explore the world without any prior commitments."

to reach a stage of intimacy in one's relationship by kissing one's partner on the lips

"He did not get to first base."

"He was so nervous on their first date that he didn't even manage to get to first base with her."

to reveal private or intimate details about a romantic or sexual relationship with someone, especially without the consent of the other person involved

"He will not kiss and tell."

"She warned her new boyfriend not to kiss and tell about their private moments together, as it was disrespectful."

a private, often secret, place where two people in a romantic relationship spend time together without anyone disturbing them

"They have a love nest."

"The couple rented a secluded cabin as their secret love nest for romantic weekend getaways."

a man who has an intimate relationship with a woman who is already in a committed relationship or marriage, often without the knowledge of the partner

"She has a backdoor man."

"Her husband was unaware that she was seeing a backdoor man while he was away on business trips."

a man who is very charming, attractive, and popular among women, often having many romantic relationships

"The old ladies' man still flirts with every woman he meets."

"He was known as a ladies' man but his charm quickly faded when people got to know him better."

used to advise someone to calm down and regain control after experiencing sexual excitement

"Take a cold shower."

"When he felt overwhelmed with desire, he decided to take a cold shower."

to look at someone in a way that shows one is very passionate about them

"He made sheep's eyes at her."

"At the party, Tom kept making sheep's eyes at Maria, which made everyone around them feel a bit uncomfortable."

excessively affectionate glances at someone

"The couple makes goo-goo eyes at each other across the room."

"The couple made goo goo eyes at each other across the table during their anniversary dinner."

loving or flirtatious words spoken quietly to someone, often during romantic moments

"He whispered sweet nothings."

"He whispered sweet nothings into her ear, making her feel cherished and deeply loved during their quiet evening together."

(of two people) to kiss and talk with one another in a very quiet and sentimental way

"They bill and coo."

"The newlyweds were often seen on the park bench, where they would bill and coo for hours on end."

to be romantically involved with someone who is considered more socially desirable than oneself

"He punches above his weight."

"Many people say he punches above his weight dating such a beautiful woman."

to be in a relationship of romantic or sexual nature

"Are you two an item?"

"Everyone at the office thinks that the two colleagues are an item because they are always together at lunch."

used to comfort someone after a breakup, meaning there are many other potential romantic partners available

"There are plenty of fish in the sea."

"After the breakup his friends told him not to worry because there are plenty of fish in the sea."

a look in someone's eyes that reveals their sexual attraction toward someone else

"She gives him bedroom eyes from across the bar."

"She gave him bedroom eyes across the crowded room and he immediately walked over to her."

to be involved in a romantic or casual relationship with someone, often without it being very serious or officially defined

"She has something going with him."

"I suspect that she has something going with her personal trainer because they spend a lot of time together."

to be sexually drawn to both males and females

"She swings both ways."

"He admitted that he swings both ways and likes all people."

a man who has all the qualities of a perfect romantic partner

"He is my knight in shining armor."

"When he helped her fix her car in the pouring rain, she felt he was truly her knight in shining armor."

used to refer to a man's wife or girlfriend

"He called her his big mama."

"The singer referred to his wife as his lovely big mama backstage after the concert."

to be romantically involved with someone who is considered more socially desirable than oneself

"He punched above his weight."

"Many people were surprised that the average-looking man managed to punch above his weight and attract the supermodel."

to be extremely fond of someone or greatly admire them

"She thinks the world of him."

"My grandmother thinks the world of her youngest grandson and always talks about how proud she is of everything he has accomplished."

to perceive someone free of faults, errors, or any shortcomings and greatly admire them

"Don't put her on pedestal."

"He tends to put every girlfriend on a pedestal too high, expecting perfection."

a person whom one is married to or is in a romantic relationship with

"She is my better half."

"He introduced his better half to everyone at the party, and they all thought she was absolutely wonderful."

the perfect man as a lifelong romantic partner

"She is looking for Mr. Right."

"She is still looking for Mr Right and has dated dozens of men without finding the one."

used to describe a woman one sees right to be married to and spend the rest of one's life with

"He found Mrs. Right."

"After years of searching, he finally met Mrs. Right, his soulmate."

a person or thing that brings joy, happiness, and meaning to someone's life

"His daughter is the light of his life."

"His daughter is the light of his life and he talks about her constantly to anyone who will listen."

to be only attracted or committed to one individual

"She has eyes for him."

"Even though many tried, she only had eyes for him, her true love."

(of two people) to be considered a perfect match for one another

"They are made for each other."

"Everyone says that Tom and Lisa are truly made for each other because they share the same dreams and values."

used to refer to a state in which one is really in love with someone

"He is head over heels in love with her."

"My younger brother is head over heels for the new girl who just moved in next door."

to admire or love someone beyond logic

"He thinks sun rises and sets on his wife."

"He thinks the sun rises and sets on his wife and would do absolutely anything to make her happy."

to be particularly fond of someone or something

"I have a soft spot for puppies."

"My father has a soft spot for stray cats and often brings them home to care for them."

to act as though one is not interested in another person's romantic or sexual advances in order to increase their interest or desire

"She is playing hard to get."

"She told her friend to play hard to get so that he would want her even more than before."

to make it clear that one is interested in having a romantic or sexual relationship with someone

"He was too shy to make the first move."

"She was too shy to make the first move so he had to approach her and say hello."

a flirtatious comment used to initiate a conversation with someone, often with the intention of expressing romantic or sexual interest in them

"His pick-up line was cheesy."

"His pick up line was very cheesy and she laughed instead of being impressed by it."

to make it too obvious that one is interested in having a relationship with someone, often one that is sexual and not romantic

"She threw herself at him."

"She threw herself at every rich man at the party hoping to find a wealthy husband quickly."

to try to begin a sexual or romantic relationship with a particular person

"He was too shy to make a move on her."

"He was too nervous to make a move on her at the party so he just stood in the corner watching her."

to earn someone's affection, love, or admiration through one's actions, words, or gestures

"He stole her heart quickly."

"The young musician managed to capture the audience's heart with his beautiful performance at the concert last night."

to make someone have intense romantic feelings for one

"He swept her off her feet."

"The charming prince swept her off his feet with his kind words and beautiful smile."

to cause a person to become greatly interested in one, particularly in the first encounter

"She charmed the pants off him."

"The charismatic speaker charmed the pants off the audience with his engaging stories and witty remarks."

to desire someone to be one's sexual partner

"The gold digger had designs on the old man."

"The young man clearly has designs on the boss's daughter because he is always trying to impress her father."

to feel intense feelings of sexual attraction for someone

"She has the hots."

"Everyone in the office could tell he had the hots for the new intern."

to act as though one is not interested in another person's romantic or sexual advances in order to increase their interest or desire

"She plays hard to get."

"To pique his interest, she decided to play hard to get, making him pursue her more intensely."

to have sex with someone

"They decided to go all the way."

"They had been dating for six months before they finally decided to go all the way and become intimate for the first time."

to have sex or be involved in a sexual relationship with someone

"They knew each other biblically."

"The ancient text describes how Adam knew Eve in the biblical way, which is often interpreted as the first union."

to engage in casual sexual encounters without commitment or serious relationships, particularly during one's youth

"He sowed his wild oats."

"Before settling down, the prince traveled the world to sow his wild oats and experience life without any responsibilities."

to cause intense excitement or arousal, especially of a sexual nature

"His dancing drives her wild."

"The way he looked at her across the room was enough to drive her wild with desire."

to engage in intimate physical contact beyond kissing by touching or fondling above the waist

"They got to second base on the first date."

"The teenagers were caught trying to get to second base in the back of a parked car last night."

used to refer to a person's sexual relationship with someone, particularly a relationship that is immoral or wrong

"She is in bed with him."

"The senator was accused of being in bed with the powerful oil companies to influence legislation."

to have a sexual relationship with someone, particularly someone over whom one has influence or control

"He got his way with her."

"The older manager used his position to get his way with the young intern."

to have sex with someone

"He went to the bar hoping to get lucky."

"After a few drinks, he hoped he would get lucky with someone at the party."

a period of time that has passed without being in any sexual relationship

"He is in a dry spell."

"After his breakup, he found himself in a long dry spell, avoiding any romantic encounters."

eager or ready for sexual activity

"She is hot to trot."

"The couple was clearly hot to trot, their intense gaze and whispered words revealing their desire."