Union

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: un=ion

CIDE DICTIONARY

Union, n. [F., from L. unio oneness, union, a single large pearl, a kind of onion, fr. unus one. See One, and cf. Onion, Unit.].

•  The act of uniting or joining two or more things into one, or the state of being united or joined; junction; coalition; combination.  [1913 Webster]

  " Union differs from connection, as it implies that the bodies are in contact, without an interconnected by the in"  [1913 Webster]
•  Agreement and conjunction of mind, spirit, will, affections, or the like; harmony; concord.  [1913 Webster]
•  That which is united, or made one; something formed by a combination or coalition of parts or members; a confederation; a consolidated body; a league; as, the weavers have formed a union; trades unions have become very numerous; the United States of America are often called the Union.  A. Hamilton.  [1913 Webster]
•  A textile fabric composed of two or more materials, as cotton, silk, wool, etc., woven together.  [1913 Webster]
•  A large, fine pearl.  [1913 Webster]

  "If they [pearls] be white, great, round, smooth, and weighty . . . our dainties and delicates here at Rome . . . call them unions, as a man would say “singular,” and by themselves alone."  [1913 Webster]

  "In the cup an union shall he throw,
  Richer than that which four successive kings
  In Denmark's crown have worn."  [1913 Webster]
•  A device emblematic of union, used on a national flag or ensign, sometimes, as in the military standard of Great Britain, covering the whole field; sometimes, as in the flag of the United States, and the English naval and marine flag, occupying the upper inner corner, the rest of the flag being called the fly. Also, a flag having such a device; especially, the flag of Great Britain.  [1913 Webster]

  " The union of the United States ensign is a cluster of white stars, denoting the union of the States, and, properly, equal in number to that of the States, displayed on a blue field; the fly being composed of alternate stripes of red and white. The union of the British ensign is the three crosses of St. George, St. Andrew, and St. Patrick in combination, denoting the union of England, Scotland and Ireland, displayed on a blue field in the national banner used on shore, on a red, white, or blue field in naval ensigns, and with a white border or fly in the merchant service."  [1913 Webster]
•  A joint or other connection uniting parts of machinery, or the like, as the elastic pipe of a tender connecting it with the feed pipe of a locomotive engine; especially, a pipe fitting for connecting pipes, or pipes and fittings, in such a way as to facilitate disconnection.  [1913 Webster]
•  A cask suspended on trunnions, in which fermentation is carried on.  [1913 Webster]

  "One kingdom, joy, and union without end."  [1913 Webster]

  "[Man] is to . . . beget
  Like of his like, his image multiplied.
  In unity defective; which requires
  Collateral love, and dearest amity."  [1913 Webster]

Hypostatic union (Theol.) See under Hypostatic. -- Latin union. See under Latin. -- Legislative Union (Eng. Hist.), the union of Great Britain and Ireland, which took place Jan. 1, 1801. -- Union, or Act of Union (Eng. Hist.), the act by which Scotland was united to England, or by which the two kingdoms were incorporated into one, in 1707. -- Union by the first intention, or Union by the second intention. (Surg.) See To heal by the first intention, or To heal by the second intention, under Intention. -- Union down (Naut.), a signal of distress at sea made by reversing the flag, or turning its union downward. -- Union jack. (Naut.) See Jack, n., 10. -- Union joint. (Mech.) (a) A joint formed by means of a union. (b) A piece of pipe made in the form of the letter T.

Syn. -- Unity; junction; connection; concord; alliance; coalition; combination; confederacy.

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Union, n.
1 a the act or an instance of uniting; the state of being united. b (the Union) hist. the uniting of the English and Scottish crowns in 1603, of the English and Scottish parliaments in 1707, or of Great Britain and Ireland in 1801.
2 a a whole resulting from the combination of parts or members. b a political unit formed in this way, esp. the US, the UK, the USSR, or South Africa.
3 = trade union.
4 marriage, matrimony.
5 concord, agreement (lived together in perfect union).
6 (Union) a a general social club and debating society at some universities and colleges. b the buildings or accommodation of such a society.
7 Math. the totality of the members of two or more sets.
8 Brit. hist. a two or more parishes consolidated for the administration of the poor laws. b (in full union workhouse) a workhouse erected by this.
9 Brit. an association of independent (esp. Congregational or Baptist) churches for purposes of cooperation.
10 a part of a flag with a device emblematic of union, normally occupying the upper corner next to the staff.
11 a joint or coupling for pipes etc.
12 a fabric of mixed materials, e.g. cotton with linen or silk.

Idiom

union-bashing Brit. colloq. active opposition to trade unions and their rights. union catalogue a catalogue of the combined holdings of several libraries. union down (of a flag) hoisted with the union below as a signal of distress. Union Jack (or flag) the national ensign of the United Kingdom formed by the union of the crosses of St George, St Andrew, and St Patrick. union jack (in the US) a jack consisting of the union from the national flag. union shop a shop, factory, trade, etc., in which employees must belong to a trade union or join one within an agreed time. union suit US a single undergarment for the body and legs; combinations.

Etymology

ME f. OF union or eccl.L unio unity f. L unus one

THESAURUS

Union

Anschluss, Bund, Rochdale cooperative, abutment, abuttal, accompaniment, accord, accordance, addition, adjoiningness, adjunct, affairs, affiliation, affinity, agape, agglomeration, agglutination, aggregation, agreement, alignment, alliance, allying, amalgamating, amalgamation, amity, ankle, anschluss, apposition, approximation, appulse, articulation, assemblage, assent, assimilation, associating, association, axis, band, bed, blend, blending, bloc, body, bond, bond of matrimony, bonds of harmony, boundary, bracketing, bridebed, brotherhood, brotherly love, butt, cabal, cahoots, caritas, cartel, cement of friendship, centralization, cervix, charity, chorus, circle, clinch, closeness, closure, club, clustering, co-working, coaction, coadunation, coalescence, coalition, cohabitation, coherence, coincidence, collaboration, colleagueship, collectivity, college, collegialism, collegiality, collusion, combination, combine, combined effort, combining, combo, common market, communication, communion, community, community of interests, compatibility, composition, comradeship, concatenation, concert, concerted action, concomitance, concord, concordance, concourse, concurrence, confederacy, confederating, confederation, confluence, conformance, conformation, conformity, confraternity, congeniality, congeries, conglomeration, congress, congruence, congruency, congruity, conjoining, conjugal bond, conjugal knot, conjugation, conjunction, connectedness, connecting link, connecting rod, connection, consilience, consistency, consolidation, consonance, consort, consortium, conspiracy, consumer cooperative, conterminousness, contiguity, contrariety, convergence, cooperation, cooperative, cooperative society, copartnership, copartnery, copulation, corps, correspondence, coterminousness, council, coupling, coverture, credit union, customs union, dealings, deduction, disjunction, dovetail, economic community, ecumenism, elbow, embodiment, embrace, empathy, encompassment, enosis, equivalence, esprit, esprit de corps, federalization, federation, feeling of identity, fellow feeling, fellowship, filiation, fraternalism, fraternity, fraternization, free trade area, freemasonry, frictionlessness, fusing, fusion, gang, gathering, gliding joint, good vibes, good vibrations, graft, group, grouping, guild, happy family, harmoniousness, harmony, hinge, hinged joint, hip, holy matrimony, holy wedlock, homology, hookup, husbandhood, identification, identity, ill-assorted marriage, inclusion, incorporation, integration, intercommunication, intercourse, interface, interlinking, intermarriage, interracial marriage, intersection, intimacy, join, joinder, joining, joint, jointure, junction, juncture, junta, juxtaposition, kinship, knee, knotting, knuckle, league, liaison, like-mindedness, link, linkage, linking, love, machine, marriage, marriage bed, marriage sacrament, marrying, match, matrimonial union, matrimony, meeting, meld, melding, mergence, merger, merging, mesalliance, misalliance, miscegenation, miter, mixed marriage, mixing, mixture, mob, mortise, mutual attraction, mutuality, nearness, neck, nuptial bond, oneness, order, organization, overlap, package, package deal, pairing, parallelism, parasitism, partnership, party, peace, perigee, perihelion, pivot, pivot joint, political machine, propinquity, proximity, rabbet, rapport, rapprochement, reciprocity, relatedness, relation, relations, relationship, ring, sacrament of matrimony, saprophytism, scarf, seam, self-consistency, sharing, shoulder, similarity, simultaneity, society, sodality, solidarity, solidification, sorority, splice, spousehood, stitch, suture, symbiosis, symmetry, sympathy, symphony, symphysis, sync, synchronism, syncretism, syndicate, syndication, syneresis, synergy, synthesis, synthesizing, syzygy, tally, team, team spirit, tie, tie rod, tie-in, tie-up, timing, togetherness, toggle, toggle joint, trust, unanimity, understanding, unification, uniformity, unison, unisonance, united action, uniting, unity, wedded bliss, wedded state, weddedness, wedding, wedding knot, wedlock, weld, wifehood, wrist, yoking

ROGET THESAURUS

Union

Agreement

N agreement, accord, accordance, unison, harmony, concord, concordance, concert, understanding, mutual understanding, conformity, conformance, uniformity, consonance, consentaneousness, consistency, congruity, congruence, keeping, congeniality, correspondence, parallelism, apposition, union, fitness, aptness, relevancy, pertinence, pertinencey, sortance, case in point, aptitude, coaptation, propriety, applicability, admissibility, commensurability, compatibility, cognation, adaption, adjustment, graduation, accommodation, reconciliation, reconcilement, assimilation, consent, concurrence, cooperation, right man in the right place, very thing, quite the thing, just the thing, agreeing, suiting, in accord, accordant, concordant, consonant, congruous, consentaneous, correspondent, congenial, coherent, becoming, harmonious reconcilable, conformable, in accordance with, in harmony with, in keeping with, in unison with at one with, of one mind, of a piece, consistent, compatible, proportionate, commensurate, on all fours, apt, apposite, pertinent, pat, to the point, to the purpose, happy, felicitous, germane, ad rem, in point, on point, directly on point, bearing upon, applicable, relevant, admissible, fit adapted, in loco, a propos, appropriate, seasonable, sortable, suitable, idoneous, deft, meet, at home, in one's proper element, a propos of, pertinently, rem acu tetigisti, if the shoe fits, wear it, the cap fits, auxilia humilia firma consensus facit, discers concordia.

Combination

N combination, mixture, junction, union, unification, synthesis, incorporation, amalgamation, embodiment, coalescence, crasis, fusion, blending, absorption, centralization, alloy, compound, amalgam, composition, tertium quid, resultant, impregnation, combined, impregnated with, ingrained, imbued inoculated.

Cooperation

N cooperation, coadjuvancy, coadjutancy, coagency, coefficiency, concert, concurrence, complicity, participation, union, additivity, combination, collusion, association, alliance, colleagueship, joint stock, copartnership, cartel, confederation, coalition, fusion, a long pull a strong pull and a pull all together, logrolling, freemasonry, unanimity, esprit de corps, party spirit, clanship, partisanship, concord, synergy, coaction, cooperating, in cooperation, in league, coadjuvant, coadjutant, dyed in the wool, cooperative, additive, participative, coactive, synergetic, synergistic, favorable to, unopposed, as one, shoulder to shoulder, synergistically, cooperatively, due teste valgono piu che una sola.

Party

N party, faction, side, denomination, communion, set, crew, band, horde, posse, phalanx, family, clan, team, tong, council, community, body, fellowship, sodality, solidarity, confraternity, familistere, familistery, brotherhood, sisterhood, knot, gang, clique, ring, circle, group, crowd, in-crowd, coterie, club, casino, machine, Tammany, Tammany Hall, corporation, corporate body, guild, establishment, company, copartnership, partnership, firm, house, joint concern, joint-stock company, cahoot, combine, trust, society, association, institute, institution, union, trades union, league, syndicate, alliance, Verein, Bund, Zollverein, combination, Turnverein, league offensive and defensive, alliance offensive and defensive, coalition, federation, confederation, confederacy, junto, cabal, camarilla, camorra, brigue, freemasonry, party spirit, Confederates, Conservatives, Democrats, Federalists, Federals, Freemason, Knight Templar, Kuklux, Kuklux Klan, KKK, Liberals, Luddites, Republicans, Socialists, Tories, Whigs staff, dramatis personae, in league, in partnership, in alliance, bonded together, banded together, linked, joined together, embattled, confederated, federative, joint, hand in hand, side by side, shoulder to shoulder, en masse, in the same boat.

Concord

N concord, accord, harmony, symphony, homologue, agreement, sympathy, empathy, response, union, unison, unity, bonds of harmony, peace, unanimity, league, happy family, rapprochement, reunion, amity, alliance, entente cordiale, good understanding, conciliation, peacemaker, intercessor, mediator, concordant, congenial, agreeing, in accord, harmonious, united, cemented, banded together, allied, friendly, fraternal, conciliatory, at one with, of one mind, at peace, in still water, tranquil, with one voice, in concert with, hand in hand, on one's side, commune periculum concordiam parit, melody concord, melody, rhythm, measure, rhyme, pitch, timbre, intonation, tone, scale, gamut, diapason, diatonic chromatic scale, enharmonic scale, key, clef, chords, modulation, temperament, syncope, syncopation, preparation, suspension, resolution, staff, stave, line, space, brace, bar, rest, appoggiato, appoggiatura, acciaccatura, note, musical note, notes of a scale, sharp, flat, natural, high note, low note, interval, semitone, second, third, fourth, diatessaron, breve, semibreve, minim, crotchet, quaver, semiquaver, demisemiquaver, hemidemisemiquaver, sustained note, drone, burden, tonic, key note, leading note, fundamental note, supertonic, mediant, dominant, submediant, subdominant, octave, tetrachord, major key, minor key, major scale, minor scale, major mode, minor mode, passage, phrase, concord, harmony, emmeleia, unison, unisonance, chime, homophony, euphony, euphonism, tonality, consonance, consent, part, harmony, harmonics, thorough-bass, fundamental-bass, counterpoint, faburden, piece of music, composer, harmonist, contrapuntist (musician), harmonious, harmonical, in concord, in tune, in concert, unisonant, concentual, symphonizing, isotonic, homophonous, assonant, ariose, consonant, measured, rhythmical, diatonic, chromatic, enharmonic, melodious, musical, melic, tuneful, tunable, sweet, dulcet, canorous, mellow, mellifluous, soft, clear, clear as a bell, silvery, euphonious, euphonic, euphonical, symphonious, enchanting fine-toned, full-toned, silver-toned, harmoniously, in harmony, as one, the hidden soul of harmony.

Government

N government, legal authority, soveriegn, sovereign authority, authority, master, direction, national government, nation, state, country, nation- state, dominion, republic, empire, union, democratic republic, kingdom, principality, state government, state, shire, province, county, canton, territory, duchy, archduchy, archdukedom, woiwodshaft, commonwealth, region, property, county, parish city, domain, tract, arrondissement, mofussil, commune, wappentake, hundred, riding, lathe, garth, soke, tithing, ward, precinct, bailiwick, command, empire, sway, rule, dominion, domination, sovereignty, supremacy, suzerainty, lordship, headship, chiefdom, seigniory, seigniority, rule, sway, command, control, administer, govern, lead, preside over, reign, possess the throne, be seated on the throne, occupy the throne, sway the scepter, wield the scepter, wear the crown, state, realm, body politic, posse comitatus, judicature, cabinet, seat of government, seat of authority, headquarters, accession, installation, politics, reign, regime, dynasty, directorship, dictatorship, protectorate, protectorship, caliphate, pashalic, electorate, presidency, presidentship, administration, proconsul, consulship, prefecture, seneschalship, magistrature, magistracy, monarchy, kinghood, kingship, royalty, regality, aristarchy, aristocracy, oligarchy, democracy, theocracy, demagogy, commonwealth, dominion, heteronomy, republic, republicanism, socialism, collectivism, mob law, mobocracy, ochlocracy, vox populi, imperium in imperio, bureaucracy, beadledom, bumbledom, stratocracy, military power, military government, junta, feodality, feudal system, feudalism, thearchy, theocracy, dinarchy, duarchy, triarchy, heterarchy, duumvirate, triumvirate, autocracy, autonomy, limited monarchy, constitutional government, constitutional monarchy, home rule, representative government, monocracy, pantisocracy, gynarchy, gynocracy, gynaeocracy, petticoat government, legislature, judiciary, administration, office of the president, office of the prime minister, cabinet, senate, house of representatives, parliament, council, courts, supreme court, state, interior, labor, health and human services, defense, education, agriculture, justice, commerce, treasury, Federal Bureau of Investigation, FBI, Central Intelligence Agency, CIA, National Institutes of Health, NIH, Postal Service, Post Office, Federal Aviation Administration, FAA, president, vice president, cabinet member, prime minister, minister, senator, representatative, president pro tem, speaker of the house, department head, section head, section chief, federal judge, justice, justice of the supreme court, chief justice, treasurer, secretary of the treasury, director of the FBI, governor, state cabinet member, state senator, assemblyman, assemblywoman, regal, sovereign, governing, royal, royalist, monarchical, kingly, imperial, imperiatorial, princely, feudal, aristocratic, autocratic, oligarchic, republican, dynastic, ruling, regnant, gubernatorial, imperious, authoritative, executive, administrative, clothed with authority, official, departmental, ex officio, imperative, peremptory, overruling, absolute, hegemonic, hegemonical, authorized, government, public, national, federal, his majesty's, her majesty's, state, county, city, N, a dog's obeyed in office, cada uno tiene su alguazil, le Roi le veut, regibus esse manus en nescio longas, regnant populi, the demigod Authority, the right divine of kings to govern wrong, uneasy lies the head that wears a crown.

Concurrence

N concurrence, cooperation, coagency, union, agreement, consilience, consent, coincidence, alliance, concert, additivity, synergy, partnership, common cause, concurring, concurrent, in alliance with, banded together, of one mind, at one with, coinciding, with one consent.

Marriage

N marriage, matrimony, wedlock, union, intermarriage, miscegenation, the bonds of marriage, vinculum matrimonii, nuptial tie, married state, coverture, bed, cohabitation, match, betrothment, wedding, nuptials, Hymen, bridal, espousals, spousals, leading to the altar, nuptial benediction, epithalamium, sealing, torch of Hymen, temple of Hymen, hymeneal altar, honeymoon, bridesmaid, bridesman, best man, bride, bridegroom, married man, married woman, married couple, neogamist, Benedict, partner, spouse, mate, yokemate, husband, man, consort, baron, old man, good man, wife of one's bosom, helpmate, rib, better half, gray mare, old woman, old lady, good wife, goodwife, feme, feme coverte, squaw, lady, matron, matronage, matronhood, man and wife, wedded pair, Darby and Joan, spiritual wife, monogamy, bigamy, digamy, deuterogamy, trigamy, polygamy, mormonism, levirate, spiritual wifery, spiritual wifeism, polyandrism, Turk, bluebeard, unlawful marriage, left-handed marriage, morganatic marriage, ill- assorted marriage, mesalliance, mariage de convenance, marriage broker, matrimonial agency, matrimonial agent, matrimonial bureau, matchmaker, schatchen, married, one, one bone and one flesh, marriageable, nubile, engaged, betrothed, affianced, matrimonial, marital, conjugal, connubial, wedded, nuptial, hymeneal, spousal, bridal, the gray mare the better horse, a world-without-end bargain, marriages are made in Heaven, render me worthy of this noble wife, si qua voles apte nubere nube pari.