- relation
- noun1 connection between two or more thingsADJECTIVE▪ causal▪ direct▪
The energy an animal uses is in direct relation to speed and body mass.
▪ complex▪the complex relation between business and society
▪ close, intimate▪The study shows the close relation between poverty and ill health.
▪ significant▪ spatial▪The right side of the brain deals with spatial relations between objects.
VERB + RELATION▪ bear, have▪The movie bore no relation to (= was very different from) the book.
▪The fee bears little relation to the service provided.
▪ establish, show▪He established a relation between asthma and certain types of work.
▪ analyse/analyze, explore▪Her work explores the relation between technology and culture.
PREPOSITION▪ in relation to▪Similar policies were pursued in the 1970s, particularly in relation to health services.
▪ relation between, relation to▪the relation of the subject to the object
2 member of sb's familyADJECTIVE▪ close, near▪ distant▪ blood▪ poor (often figurative)▪Other sparkling wines are often considered the poor relations of champagne.
VERB + RELATION▪ visitPREPOSITION▪ relation to▪What relation is Rita to you?
PHRASES▪ friends and relations3 relations between people/groups/countriesADJECTIVE▪ close, intimate▪ cordial, friendly, good, harmonious▪ improved▪a period of improved trade relations
▪ difficult, poor, strained▪Relations between the two countries are strained.
▪ bilateral, diplomatic, foreign, international, political, trade▪The US broke off diplomatic relations with Cuba's communist government.
▪the growing chill in Anglo-French diplomatic relations
▪ industrial, labour/labor▪The change of government led to improved industrial relations.
▪ class, gender, race▪ economic, power, social▪ public▪a public relations exercise
▪ customer, investor▪ human, interpersonal, personal▪ family, marital▪a breakdown of marital relations leading to divorce
▪ sexual▪ parent-child, student-teacher, etc.▪ Anglo-American, East-West, etc.VERB + RELATIONS▪ cultivate, develop, establish, foster, maintain▪the need to establish good relations with our European partners
▪ break off, sever, suspend▪Diplomatic relations have been broken off between the two countries.
▪ damage, poison, sour▪The move soured relations between Washington and Moscow.
▪ improve, strengthen▪Renewed efforts are being made to improve the strained relations between the two countries.
▪ normalize (esp. AmE), repair▪ re-establish, restore, resume▪Venezuela re-established diplomatic relations with Cuba.
▪ govern, regulate▪the system governing social relations in India
RELATION + VERB▪ improve▪Relations between the two states have improved.
▪ deteriorate, sour, worsenPREPOSITION▪ relation among, relation between, relation withPHRASES▪ an improvement in relations
Collocations dictionary. 2013.
