Romantic Relationships

hit on someone

say or do things that demonstrate romantic or sexual interest in that person

e.g. flirt with someone

Some guy hit _____ me while I was standing at the bar.

ask someone out

invite the person to go on a date (a romantic encounter)

Zlata asked Bohdan _____ for drinks.

lead someone on

give the person false hope or expectations about the relationship

All that time, Masha'd been leading him ____ (= pretending she liked him), but she was only interested in his money.

hit it off

like each other and have great social connection from the first moment you meet

My ex and I didn’t hit it ____ right away.

go out with

have a romantic relationship with someone

How long have Tom and Lucy been going ____ together?

come on a flying visit

pay a visit that doesn't last long

We came on a __________ to my mother's house before continuing on our way to the beach.

set eye on someone

see someone for the first time

Everyone keeps talking about Patrick, but I've never set __________ the man.

warm to someone

start to like someone

I __________to her immediately.

bring someone together

cause someone to be friendly with each other

The loss of their son has brought the two of them __________.

strike up

start a relationship or conversation with someone

He would often strike ____ conversations with complete strangers.

take a shine to someone

like someone immediately

He seems to have taken a __________ to you.

get on like a house on fire

get on extremely well

I was worried that they wouldn't like each other but in fact they're getting on like __________.

make the first move

be the first to take action

If he wants to see me, he should __________.

ask / take someone out

invite someone to come with you to a place such as the cinema or a restaurant, especially as a way of starting a romantic relationship

You should __________her __________sometime.

go off someone

like someone less

When I told him I wouldn’t be back till midnight, he went ____ me.

stand by

support or defend someone

How can you not stand ___ and see him accused of something he didn't do?

win someone back

persuade someone to start having a romantic relationship with you again

Surely she could win him ____to her own side.

fall for / fall in love

start loving someone

That was the summer I worked at the fairground, and met and fall _____ Lucy.

fizzle out

lose energy over a period of time, slowly come to an end

Their romance just __________ out.

break up

end a romantic relationship

He lost his job and his marriage broke _____.

get back together

restart a romantic relationship

I just got _______ together with my ex-girlfriend.

fall out with / over

have a disagreement and stop being friends / a couple

They __________over some stupid little issue.

fit in

feel that you belong to a particular group and are accepted by them

I wasn’t sure if she would __________with my friends.

get along with

have a good relationship with

They seem to __________ with each other.

hit something off

be friendly with each other immediately

We had similar ideas about the show, and the two of us __________ it __________ right away.

pair off with someone

start a romantic relationship with them

All my friends seem to be __________ and getting married.

chat someone up

flirt with someone

He spent all evening __________her __________ and buying her drinks.

stick by someone

continue to support someone who is in a difficult situation

Ken __________Cath when her restaurant went bankrupt.

care for someone

love someone or like them very much

Jack and Ula really __________each other. They've been together for 50 years.

set someone up

arrange a date for someone (without you being present)

My brother __________ me __________with a woman who works at his office.

finish with someone

end a relationship with someone

Luisa has __________with Ben. He's very upset.

drift apart

slowly start to go in different directions over time

We just started to drift _______ - different interests, different plans for the future.

hook up with

have sex with the person you just met or stay with for one night

I hooked _____ with a guy at a New Year’s party.

make up

reconcile and restore peace in the relationship after a fight

We were constantly fighting and making _____.

put up with someone

tolerate a difficult, annoying, or unpleasant person

I don’t know how I put _____ with him for so long.

cheat on someone

kiss or have sex with another woman/man (not your girlfriend or boyfriend)

He cheated _____ me – I caught him making out with his ex.

make out with someone

kiss very passionately

He cheated on me – I caught him making ____ with his ex.

jerk someone around

manipulate someone or use someone for their own advantage

He begged me for another chance, but I know he was just trying to jerk me ________.

settle down

be in a long-term stable relationship (for example, getting married and having kids, and living a “typical” family life)

To be honest, I’m not really interested in settling ______ just yet.