- union
- noun1 act of joining; state of being joinedADJECTIVE▪ close▪
Some of the member states wanted a closer union rather than the loose confederation that developed.
▪ loose▪ full▪a move in the direction of full political union
▪ economic, monetary, political▪ currency, customsVERB + UNION▪ create, form▪ dissolvePREPOSITION▪ union between▪currency union between the two countries
▪ union with▪the union with East Germany
2 workers' organizationADJECTIVE▪ labor (AmE), trade (esp. BrE), trades (BrE)▪ public-sector, public-service, public-services (all BrE)▪ government-employee, public-employee (both AmE)▪ free, independent▪ official▪ big, large, major▪France's biggest union
▪ militant, strong▪ local, national▪ industrial (esp. AmE)▪ electricians', faculty (AmE), teachers', etc.▪She became active in the teachers' union.
▪ engineering, health, rail, teaching, transport, etc. (all BrE)▪ student, students'VERB + UNION▪ form, organize (esp. AmE), set up▪ join▪ belong to▪ recognizeUNION + VERB▪ be affiliated to sth▪ represent sb/sth▪The union represents 40% of all hospital workers.
▪ negotiate (sth)▪The nurses' union negotiated a new contract.
▪ accept sth, agree (to sth)▪ refuse sth, reject sth, threaten sth▪The union threatened strike action if its demands were not met.
▪ claim sth, express sth▪Several unions expressed support for the strike.
▪ support sb/sthUNION + NOUN▪ confederation, federation, movement, organization▪ branch (esp. BrE), local (AmE)▪ action, activism, activity, militancy (esp. BrE), power▪ rights▪ activist, member, official, rep, representative▪ spokesman, spokesperson, spokeswoman▪ boss, chief, leader, organizer, president, secretary (esp. BrE), shop steward (BrE), steward (BrE)▪ leadership, membership, representation▪ conference (esp. BrE), election▪ shop (AmE)▪ card, dues (esp. AmE)▪He paid his union dues to Local Union 98.
▪ law▪ contract (AmE)3 between two peopleADJECTIVE▪ civil, legal▪ holy, spiritual▪ sexual▪ gay, same-sexVERB + UNION▪ allow, recognize▪states where same-sex unions are recognized
Collocations dictionary. 2013.