Adjacent Words

Union definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

U'NION, n. [L. unio, to unite, from unus, one.]
1. The act of joining two or more things into one, and thus forming a compound body or a mixture; or the junction or coalition of things thus united. Union differs from connection, as it implies the bodies to be in contact, without an intervening body; whereas things may be connected by the intervention of a third body, as by a cord or chain.
One kingdom, joy and union without end.
2. Concord; agreement and conjunction of mind, will, affections or interest. Happy is the family where perfect union subsists between all its members.
3. The junction or united existence of spirit and matter; as the union of soul and body.
4. Among painters, a symmetry and agreement between the several parts of a painting.
5. In architecture, harmony between the colors in the materials of a building.
6. In ecclesiastical affairs, the combining or consolidating of two or more churches into one. This cannot be done without the consent of the bishop, the patron, and the incumbent. Union is by accession, when the united benefice becomes an accessory of the principal; by confusion, where the two titles are suppressed, and a new one created, including both; and by equality, where the two titles subsist, but are equal and independent.
7. States united. Thus the United States of America are sometimes call the Union.
8. A pearl. [L. unio. Not in use.]
Union, or Act of union, the act by which Scotland was united to England, or by which the two kingdoms were incorporated into one, in 1707.
Legislative union, the union of Great Britain and Ireland, in 1800.
Union by the first intention, in surgery, the process by which the opposite surfaces of recent wounds grow together and unite without suppuration, when they are kept in contact with each other; the result of a wonderful self-healing power in living bodies.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

adj
1: being of or having to do with the northern United States and those loyal to the Union during the American Civil War; "Union soldiers"; "Federal forces"; "a Federal infantryman" [syn: Union, Federal]
2: of trade unions; "the union movement"; "union negotiations"; "a union-shop clause in the contract" [ant: nonunion] n
1: an organization of employees formed to bargain with the employer; "you have to join the union in order to get a job" [syn: union, labor union, trade union, trades union, brotherhood]
2: the United States (especially the northern states during the American Civil War); "he has visited every state in the Union"; "Lee hoped to detach Maryland from the Union"; "the North's superior resources turned the scale" [syn: Union, North]
3: the act of pairing a male and female for reproductive purposes; "the casual couplings of adolescents"; "the mating of some species occurs only in the spring" [syn: coupling, mating, pairing, conjugation, union, sexual union]
4: the state of being joined or united or linked; "there is strength in union" [syn: union, unification] [ant: separation]
5: the state of being a married couple voluntarily joined for life (or until divorce); "a long and happy marriage"; "God bless this union" [syn: marriage, matrimony, union, spousal relationship, wedlock]
6: healing process involving the growing together of the edges of a wound or the growing together of broken bones [syn: union, conglutination]
7: a political unit formed from previously independent people or organizations; "the Soviet Union"
8: a set containing all and only the members of two or more given sets; "let C be the union of the sets A and B" [syn: union, sum, join]
9: the occurrence of a uniting of separate parts; "lightning produced an unusual union of the metals"
10: a device on a national flag emblematic of the union of two or more sovereignties (typically in the upper inner corner)
11: the act of making or becoming a single unit; "the union of opposing factions"; "he looked forward to the unification of his family for the holidays" [syn: union, unification, uniting, conjugation, jointure] [ant: disunion]

Merriam Webster's

I. noun Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin union-, unio oneness, union, from Latin unus one — more at one Date: 15th century 1. a. an act or instance of uniting or joining two or more things into one: as (1) the formation of a single political unit from two or more separate and independent units (2) a uniting in marriage; also sexual intercourse (3) the growing together of severed parts b. a unified condition ; combination, junction <a gracious union of excellence and strength> 2. something that is made one ; something formed by a combining or coalition of parts or members: as a. a confederation of independent individuals (as nations or persons) for some common purpose b. (1) a political unit constituting an organic whole formed usually from units which were previously governed separately (as England and Scotland in 1707) and which have surrendered or delegated their principal powers to the government of the whole or to a newly created government (as the United States in 1789) (2) capitalized the federal union of states during the period of the American Civil War c. capitalized an organization on a college or university campus providing recreational, social, cultural, and sometimes dining facilities; also the building housing such an organization d. the set of all elements belonging to one or more of a given collection of two or more sets — called also join, sum e. labor union 3. a. a device emblematic of the union of two or more sovereignties borne on a national flag typically in the upper inner corner or constituting the whole design of the flag b. the upper inner corner of a flag 4. any of various devices for connecting parts (as of a machine); especially a coupling for pipes or pipes and fittings II. adjective Date: 1707 of, relating to, dealing with, or constituting a union; especially capitalized of, relating to, or being the side favoring the Union in the American Civil War <Union troops>

Oxford Reference Dictionary

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. Phrases and idioms: 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

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Union Un"ion (?; 277), n. [F., from L. unio oneness, union, a single large pearl, a kind of onion, fr. unus one. See One, and cf. Onion, Unit.] 1. The act of uniting or joining two or more things into one, or the state of being united or joined; junction; coalition; combination. Note: Union differs from connection, as it implies that the bodies are in contact, without an inter?ening body; whereas things may be connected by the in???vention of a third body, as by a cord or chain. 2. Agreement and conjunction of mind, spirit, will, affections, or the like; harmony; concord. 3. 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. 4. A textile fabric composed of two or more materials, as cotton, silk, wool, etc., woven together. 5. A large, fine pearl. [Obs.] 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. --Holland. In the cup an union shall he throw, Richer than that which four successive kings In Denmark's crown have worn. --Shak. 6. 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. Note: 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.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

7. (Mach.) 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. 8. (Brewing) A cask suspended on trunnions, in which fermentation is carried on. 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, or second, intention. (Surg.) See To heal by the first, or 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. Usage: Union, Unity. Union is the act of bringing two or more things together so as to make but one, or the state of being united into one. Unity is a state of simple oneness, either of essence, as the unity of God, or of action, feeling, etc., as unity of design, of affection, etc. Thus, we may speak of effecting a union of interests which shall result in a unity of labor and interest in securing a given object. One kingdom, joy, and union without end. --Milton. [Man] is to . . . beget Like of his like, his image multiplied. In unity defective; which requires Collateral love, and dearest amity. --Milton.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(unions) Frequency: The word is one of the 700 most common words in English. 1. A union is a workers' organization which represents its members and which aims to improve things such as their working conditions and pay. I feel that women in all types of employment can benefit from joining a union. ...union officials. = trade union N-COUNT 2. When the union of two or more things occurs, they are joined together and become one thing. In 1918 the Romanian majority in this former tsarist province voted for union with Romania. N-UNCOUNT: oft N with/of n 3. When two or more things, for example countries or organizations, have been joined together to form one thing, you can refer to them as a union. Tanzania is a union of the states of Tanganyika and Zanzibar. ...the question of which countries should join the currency union. N-SING: usu with supp, oft N of pl-n 4. Union is used in the name of some clubs, societies, and organizations. The naming of stars is at the discretion of the International Astronomical Union. N-IN-NAMES

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

n. 1. Junction, combination, coalition, conjunction, unification, incorporation. 2. Harmony, concord, agreement, concert, unison, unanimity, unity, concurrence. 3. Confederacy, alliance, league, association. 4. Marriage.

Foolish Dictionary

An ailing individual frequently troubled by scabs and liable to strike without warning.

Moby Thesaurus

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