relation

American  

[ri-ley-shuhn] / rɪˈleɪ ʃən /

noun

1. an existing connection; a significant association between or among things.

   the relation between cause and effect.

   Synonyms:

   link , tie , relationship

   Antonyms:

   independence

2. relations,

   1. the various connections between peoples, countries, etc..

      foreign relations.

   2. the various connections in which persons are brought together.

      business and social relations.

   3. sexual intercourse.

3. the mode or kind of connection between one person and another, between an individual and God, etc.

4. connection between persons by blood or marriage.

   Synonyms:

   kinship , relationship

5. a person who is related by blood or marriage; relative.

   his wife's relations.

6. the act of relating, narrating, or telling; narration.

   Synonyms:

   description , recital , recitation

7. Law.  a principle whereby effect is given to an act done at one time as if it had been done at a previous time.

8. Mathematics.

   1. a property that associates two quantities in a definite order, as equality or inequality.

   2. a single- or multiple-valued function.

---

idioms

1. in / with relation to,  with reference to; concerning.

   It's best to plan with relation to anticipated changes in one's earnings.

relation British  

/ rɪˈleɪʃən /

noun

1. the state or condition of being related or the manner in which things are related

2. connection by blood or marriage; kinship

3. a person who is connected by blood or marriage; relative; kinsman

4. reference or regard (esp in the phrase in or with relation to )

5. the position, association, connection, or status of one person or thing with regard to another or others

6. the act of relating or narrating

7. an account or narrative

8. law the principle by which an act done at one time is regarded in law as having been done antecedently

9. law the statement of grounds of complaint made by a relator

10. logic maths

    1. an association between ordered pairs of objects, numbers, etc, such as … is greater than …

    2. the set of ordered pairs whose members have such an association

11. philosophy

    1. a relation that necessarily holds between its relata, as 4 is greater than 2

    2. a relation that does not so hold

---

relation More Idioms  

1. see poor relation; relative (in relation) to.

---

Other Word Forms

• nonrelation noun
• prerelation noun
• relationless adjective
• subrelation noun

Etymology

Origin of relation

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English relacion, from Latin relātiōn-, stem of relātiō “a carrying back, narration, repayment”; equivalent to relate + -ion

Example Sentences

The Swiss attorney general’s office said it charged an unnamed female compliance officer in relation to $7.9 million in payments that she allowed to enter the bank.

From The Wall Street Journal

The Irish government said the visit is an opportunity to underpin "the very close and warm relations" between the two countries.

From BBC

Siddiq, whose mother is the former prime minister's sister, continues to face a number of outstanding charges in Bangladesh, including two ongoing trials in relation to the allegations at the centre of Monday's verdict.

From BBC

Police Scotland told us there had been no incidents reported in Callendar Park in relation to asylum seekers and no crimes recorded to date.

From BBC

Mr. Ferguson is an assistant professor of international relations at Hitotsubashi University and a visiting researcher at the University of Tokyo.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• relationship