MARRIAGE

 

To be a perfect couple To be/make a match

To be well/perfectly matched To be a love match

To be of marriageable age To be compatible / incompatible

 

To marry/to get married/to get hitched (infml)/to tie the knot (infml)

To get married early/young Arranged marriage

To contemplate marriage To enter into marriage

To elope/to run away to get married To rush into marriage

To marry for love, money To marry into (a good family)

To marry into money To marry sb for one’s looks

To marry on the rebound To see eye to eye

To share the same interests and values To shower sb with affectionate devotion

To talk on the same wave length

 

Couple/man and wife (fml) Soul mates

Spouses Newlyweds

 

Wedding/marriage ceremony/marriage/nuptials (fml old-fashioned)

 

To call off the wedding A civil marriage A common-law marriage

A mixed marriage A marriage of convenience A marriage license

The complementary/better half A matchmaker

 

GENERATION GAP

 

To abuse/to ill-treat To apply pressure

To assert oneself; self-assertion To be constantly observed by a critical adult

To be gratified by close relationship with children To be tied to the apron strings

To cut the cord To develop some qualities in children

To dote on somebody To draw conclusions about one’s character

To feel nostalgia about one’s childhood To get worked up

To get through to somebody To handle a child/his behavior

To handle the responsibility To impose strict laws/rules on children

To indulge/to cosset/to mollycoddle/to pamper/to spoil children To lack self-confidence

To lavish love on children To lead somebody astray

To leave the nest To live up to one’s expectations

To lose one’s temper/to fly off the handle To make children feel lonely, unwanted, neglected

To manipulate children To neglect children

To owe something to somebody; to owe somebody something To pester somebody

To rear/raise/bring up children To rebel against discipline, traditional values

To set somebody on the right path To take one’s frustration out on somebody

To tell somebody off/to give somebody a good telling off To throw a tantrum/a fit; to have temper tantrums

A sense of identity To establish one’s identity

 

Parents: indulgent/overindulgent/lax/lenient/permisseive/overprotect-tive

Parents: firm/strict/severe/forceful/pushy

Parental guidance, parental role

Paternal, maternal care/concern

 

CHILDHOOD

Various age periods

 

an adolescent, adolescence a teenager a youngster an adult, adulthood

the adults the aged the elders to be under age