Family Life - Advanced Vocabulary

A comprehensive list of 80 phrasal verbs, nouns, and idioms related to family life and relationships, including definitions and examples grounded in the Class 10 English curriculum.

bring up

To raise and educate a child.

look after

To take care of someone or something.

get along (with)

To have a harmonious and friendly relationship with someone.

take after

To resemble a family member in appearance or character.

fall out (with)

To have an argument or disagreement that leads to a period of not speaking.

make up

To reconcile or become friends again after an argument.

settle down

To adopt an established or stable way of life.

grow up

To mature and become an adult.

chip in

To contribute money or help toward a common goal.

stand by

To support or remain loyal to someone, especially during difficult times.

hand down

To pass something from one generation to the next as an inheritance.

get together

To meet or gather socially with others.

look up to

To admire and respect someone.

put up with

To tolerate or endure an unpleasant situation or person.

come from

To originate from a specific place or background.

turn out

To result or eventually prove to be in a certain way.

break up

To end a marriage or romantic relationship.

carry on

To continue doing something.

fall behind

To fail to keep up with others, particularly in a class or at work.

call off

To cancel a planned meeting or event.

nuclear family

A family unit consisting of only parents and their children.

extended family

A large family group that includes relatives like grandparents, aunts, and uncles.

family bond

The emotional connection and sense of unity among family members.

family gathering

A social occasion where family members meet together.

family tradition

A custom or practice passed down within a family across generations.

parental guidance

The advice and leadership provided by parents to their children.

household chores

Routine tasks performed to maintain a home, such as cleaning or cooking.

childcare responsibilities

The duties involved in looking after and raising children.

family reunion

A large meeting where many members of an extended family come together after being apart.

marital status

The legal state of being single, married, divorced, or widowed.

family background

The social, economic, and cultural history of a person's family.

parental support

The assistance and encouragement provided by parents to their children.

close-knit family

A family group whose members are very supportive and close to one another.

single-parent family

A family in which only one parent lives with and raises the children.

family heirloom

A valuable object that has been passed down through generations in a family.

family values

The principles and moral standards held within a family.

domestic violence

Abuse or violence occurring within the home, especially between intimate partners.

family conflict

Disagreements or discord between family members.

family life cycle

The various stages of development a family experiences over time, such as parenting or retirement.

parenting style

The specific method or approach that parents use in raising their children.

family income

The total amount of money earned by all members of a household.

family planning

The practice of controlling the number of children in a family and the intervals between their births.

parent-child relationship

The unique connection and interaction between a parent and their child.

work-life balance

The equilibrium maintained between professional responsibilities and personal or family life.

family crisis

A situation of intense difficulty or danger within a family.

household budget

A financial plan for manageing the income and expenses of a household.

foster care system

A system in which children are placed in temporary care with people other than their legal parents.

family dynamics

The patterns of interactions and relationships among family members.

adoptive parents

Individuals who have legally taken a child into their family to be raised as their own.

family history

The recorded past events of a family, including ancestral background and health records.

blood is thicker than water

The idea that family relationships and loyalties are stronger than other types of relationships.

like father, like son

A saying indicating that a son has similar characteristics or behaviors to his father.

chip off the old block

A person who is very similar in character or appearance to one of their parents.

run in the family

A characteristic, trait, or medical condition that appears in many members of the same family.

apple of one’s eye

Someone who is cherished and loved above all others.

black sheep of the family

A family member who is considered a disgrace or different from the rest.

put one’s foot down

To take a firm stand and be strict or decisive about something.

bring home the bacon

To earn the money that is needed to support one's family.

hit it off

To quickly establish a friendly and positive relationship with someone.

keep the home fires burning

To maintain the household and family life while others are away.

go back a long way

To have known someone for a very long period.

wear the trousers

To be the dominant person or decision-maker in a household.

the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree

A child usually grows up to be similar to their parents.

bring up to speed

To provide someone with the most recent information or updates.

bend over backwards

To make an extreme effort to help or please someone.

call the shots

To be the person in control who makes the important decisions.

get on like a house on fire

To become friends very quickly and have a very friendly relationship.

on the same wavelength

To share the same way of thinking or to understand someone perfectly.

hit the roof

To become extremely angry.

the ties that bind

The common interests, backgrounds, or relationships that unite people.

turn a blind eye

To ignore something or pretend not to see it.

have a skeleton in the closet

To have a shocking or embarrassing secret from one's past.

at loggerheads

To be in strong disagreement or dispute with someone.

go the extra mile

To make a special effort to achieve something or to help others more than is expected.

keep one’s chin up

To remain optimistic and keep one's spirits up during a difficult situation.

a shoulder to cry on

A person who listens to your problems and offers sympathy and support.

throw in the towel

To give up or admit defeat.

hit below the belt

To say or do something that is unfair or unnecessarily cruel.

bide one’s time

To wait patiently for the perfect opportunity to do something.

make ends meet

To earn just enough money to pay for basic necessities.