11 Relationships: ups and downs

A Friendship
Friends are people who are much more than mere casual acquaintances1. True friends
are always there when you need them, as you are for them. We expect loyalty2 from our
friends, despite our faults, and should give it in return, never speaking ill of them behind
their backs3. As well as having friends and casual acquaintances, we have relationships
with colleagues, allies and partners.

1
person you know, but not very well
2
support in good or bad times
3
say bad things about us when we are not there
Here are some qualities of friendship and their opposites:

quality opposite
loyal (adj.), loyalty (noun) disloyal (adj.), disloyalty (noun)
supportive [always supports you] unsupportive, critical
honest, truthful dishonest, untruthful
respectful (adj.), respect (noun) disrespectful (adj.), disrespect (noun)

B Problematic relationships
I used to think of Kate as a friend but I now
realise she has been two-faced towards me.
[insincere; pleasant with someone and then unpleasant
about them behind their back]
Russia and America were allies in the war.
[countries or people who join together to fight for a
common cause]
We were business partners but now were bitter/
arch rivals. [people who own a business together]
[people in competition with each other in a negative, aggressive way]
Indeed, I could say we are now sworn enemies. [people who will always hate each other]
Terry has been disloyal to me on a number of occasions.
OK, I was dishonest with you. Im sorry, but I didnt want to hurt you.
Sam has been very distant towards me recently. [not friendly, cold]
Jamie has always been scrupulously honest in his dealings with us.
I would expect complete and unswerving loyalty from a true friend.
Monica has always been my staunchest ally at work. I can always rely on her to support me.
I was amazed that someone who called herself my friend could be so deeply critical of me.
C Breakdowns: expressions and collocations
Unfortunately, relationships sometimes break down because of genuine misunderstandings.
[collapse] [not understanding something correctly]
A rift can develop between two people or groups. [serious disagreement that divides people]
Theres been a lot of discord in the office lately. [disagreement and discontent]
My father and I dont see eye to eye on most things. [have different opinions]
Jack and his sister have been on bad terms for a long time. [have a poor relationship]
His love affair with Anna has turned sour. I think theyll split up. [become bad] [separate]
Our marriage has had its ups and downs, but basically were OK. [had good and bad times]
a bumpy relationship [up and down like a car on a road with bumps]
a broken home [family split up by divorce]
a family feud [/fjud/ quarrel in a family causing bad feeling for many years]

28 English Vocabulary in Use Advanced