friend1 nounfriend2 verb
friendfriend1 /frend/ ●●● S1 W1 noun [countable] 
WORD ORIGINfriend
Origin:
Old English freondEXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- Friends, we are gathered here today to witness the marriage of John and Beth.
- Dad, this is my friend Steve.
- Don't worry, you're among friends here.
- I'm going out for a drink with a friend of mine tonight.
- I got a letter from a friend from college.
- Jerry, I'd like to introduce you to my friend Lucinda.
- John was a really good friend to me when I had all those problems last year.
- She's going to Palm Springs with some friends.
- Who goes there? Friend or foe?
- And, you know, we all lost a good friend.
- He flew to Phoenix to be with our friends in their time of suffering.
- Her parents spent weeks sleeping on a hospital floor, while her sister, Caroline was being cared for by friends.
- The horse cropped at a leisurely pace through the flat Fenland countryside, Illingworth fretting while my friend gazed about calmly.
- The presence of a bodyguard was a constant reminder of the invisible veil which separated her from her family and friends.
- The three friends have printed 5, 000 copies of the book, but refuse to say how much they spent.
- The trouble started after friends tried to stop him driving because he'd been drinking.
THESAURUS
someone who you know and like very much and enjoy spending time with: · Dad, this is my friend Steve.· She’s going to Palm Springs with some friends.· I got a letter from a friend from college.· Amy’s a close friend of mine.· John was a really good friend to me when I had all those problems last year.
someone who you know and see sometimes, but who is not one of your close friends: · We borrowed the money from one of Paul’s business acquaintances.
British English informal a friend – used especially about boys or men: · He always goes to the pub with his mates on Friday night.· Terry’s an old mate of mine.
American English informal a friend – used especially about men or young people: · He’s out playing basketball with some of his high school buddies.
informal a friend – pal sounds rather old-fashioned: · They met at school and have remained close pals.
[usually plural] disapproving a friend – used about powerful people who will help each other even if it is slightly dishonest: · He’s one of the president’s cronies.
written someone who spends time with you, doing the same things as you – used about animals as well as people: · travelling companions· His dog was his constant companion.· the perfect companion
informal a woman’s female friends: · We’re having a girls’ night out.
British English informal a man’s male friends: · a night out with the lads
Longman Language Activatora friend · Dad, this is my friend Steve.· She's going to Palm Springs with some friends.· I got a letter from a friend from college.friend of mine · I'm going out for a drink with a friend of mine tonight.be a good friend to somebody (=to be someone's friend and help them a lot when they have problems) · John was a really good friend to me when I had all those problems last year.
British informal a friend - use this especially about boys or men: · He always goes to the pub with his mates on Friday night.mate of mine: · Terry's an old mate of mine.
American informal a friend - use this especially about men or young people: · He's one of Mike's buddies.army/high school/war etc buddy (=a friend that you met in the army, high school etc): · He's out playing basketball with some of his high school buddies.
informal a friend. Pal is slightly more old-fashioned than mate or buddy: · Nicholas was a pal of William's at school.· Thanks for helping us out, Frankie. You're a real pal.
someone that you know and sometimes see, but who is not one of your close friends: · She's just an acquaintance - I sometimes see her at aerobics.· I don't want to talk about religion with business acquaintances.
someone who is not really your friend, but is someone one of your friends knows: · I got the tickets through a friend of a friend who works in the theatre.· No I don't know him personally, he's a friend of a friend.
a very good friend someone that you know very well and like very much: · Helen is one of my closest friends.· Sam and I didn't get along very well at first but now we're really good friends.· They were close friends of my parents when we lived in Minneapolis.
the one special friend who is more important to you than any other: · We lived next door to each other when we were kids, and we've been best friends ever since.· Caroline and her best friend both had babies within three weeks of each other.
a good friend that you have known for a long time: · Lotte's one of my oldest friends.· I saw a few old friends at the reunion.
friends who are inseparable are together most of the time: · My brother and James have been inseparable since they were at primary school.· The three girls were inseparable friends.
also go way back informal if two people go back a long way , they have known each other or been working together for a very long time: · Sam and I go way back. We sat next to each other in first grade.· I know your aunt - in fact we go back a long way.
a group of friends also circle the people you know, especially a group of friends who all know each other and often meet socially: · He had a large circle of friends.· Since my children have started school, my circle has widened to include the mothers of other kids.
spoken a group of male or female friends who often do things together: · Sally's having a night out with the girls from the office.· It's his poker night with the boys.
informal a small group of friends who often meet socially: · I usually go out with the gang on Saturday nights.one of the gang (=accepted into the group of friends): · She's not really one of the gang, but I invited her to the party.
informal a group of friends who often do things or go out together: · He wasn't with his usual crowd last night.· It may be necessary to change your child's school if they get in with a bad crowd.
: the tennis/golf club/arty etc set a group of friends who meet socially, especially because they are all interested in the same sport or activity, especially an expensive one: · She likes to mingle with the arty set.
a group of people who know each other, and will help each other, even if this means being slightly dishonest: · Weiss was careful not to upset his political cronies.· Her father is probably in the bar, drinking with his cronies.
to be someone's friend if two people are friends , they like each other and they enjoy doing things together: · Bill and I used to be good friends, but we don't see each other much now.be friends with: · I've been friends with Andrea for about 10 years.
also get on British if two or more people get along or get on , they find it easy to talk and agree with each other, and so they feel relaxed when they spend time together: · I used to argue a lot with my parents, but now we get along fine.get along with: · Julie's nice, but I don't really get on with her brother.· He's a nice boy - very easy to get along with.
to have a good relationship with someone, even though you may not spend a lot of time together: · Her family became very friendly with their neighbors, the Mayers.· I used to be very friendly with a girl from Boston.
to become someone's friend to start to be someone's friend, especially when you have to make an effort to do this: · Her family moved a lot, and it wasn't always easy to make friends.make friends with: · The children soon made friends with the kids next door.
if two people become friends , they begin to be friends: · They met at an art class and became friends.· I'd known him for years, but we really didn't become friends until high school.
informal if two people hit it off , they immediately become friends when they meet for the first time: · I knew you and Mark would hit it off.· The two men ended up in the same business law class and hit it off immediately.
informal if two people click , they like each other immediately when they first meet, because they have the same ideas or opinions, or laugh at the same things: · We just clicked, and we've been friends ever since.click with: · I never really clicked with my boss, and it made work a little more difficult.
to make friends with someone very quickly, especially if you do it intentionally: · The two women struck up a friendship when they met on holiday.· We met for the first time at a business conference, and we immediately struck up a friendship which has lasted for years.
to be friendly to someone who needs help, for example someone with financial or emotional problems: · His parents befriended some American soldiers who served in Wales during World War II.· It's fairly unusual for high school seniors to befriend freshmen.
also get in with spoken to begin to be friends with a group of people, especially people that other people do not approve of: · He's fallen in with a group of boys I don't like very much.· She used her husband's money and family to get in with a group of Hollywood's social elite.
a friendly relationship with someone · Our marriage is based on friendship, love, and trust.· We didn't see each other much during that time, but our friendship remained strong.friendship with · I had no close friendships with other boys at school.friendship between · Bernstein's visit to Copland's studio led to a friendship between the two composers.
a friendly and comfortable relationship with someone that you enjoy spending time with: · He was lonely and looking for companionship.· Older people often benefit from having a pet for companionship.
to have important or rich friends who can help you · He won't lose his job -- he has plenty of friends in high places.
having friends who have a lot of influence: · The couple were well-educated and well-connected members of an elite social class.· Richardson is very well-connected, both in the Democratic leadership and on political committees.
to stop being friendly with someone especially British to stop being friends because you have an argument: · It was the first time Bill and I had fallen out.fall out with: · She fell out with some of her school friends.fall out over: · I didn't think it was worth falling out over, but Emily obviously did.
having a lot of power a powerful person, organization, or country has a lot of power, and can control people and influence events: · Parliament had become more powerful than the King.· one of the most powerful men in US politics· Berlusconi was the owner of a powerful media empire.
someone who is influential can influence events, because they are rich, and therefore people pay attention to what they say: · Her uncle is a rich and influential businessman.· She is probably the most influential member of the finance committee.· an influential film critichighly influential (=very influential): · Galbraith was a highly influential writer on economic affairs.
powerful - use this about a political group that is supported by a lot of people: · The communists were particularly strong in the big industrial cities.· There has been a strong anti-nuclear movement in Japan for many years.
more powerful than other people, groups, countries etc: · Gradually, Microsoft became the dominant company in the software business· At the time Portugal was the dominant naval power in the Mediterranean.
having more power than anyone else, especially when this is not fair: · The all-powerful central committee meets twice a year.· Catherine the Great, the all-powerful ruler of the Russian Empire· Hollywood stars of the 30s were in awe of the all-powerful studio bosses.
to have power or influence because you know people who have very important jobs and positions and who will help you if necessary: · Bowen had friends in high places, and managed to raise large sums of money from the Carnegie and Rockefeller Foundations.· The Achym family had friends in high places, including the powerful Lord Burghley, and were allowed to return.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRYADJECTIVES/NOUN + friend
Jim relaxed, knowing he was among friends. They became the best of friends (=very close friends). Mark became a dear friend. a faithful friend I gathered together my few possessions. Diana and Laura have been firm friends (=close friends) since their early teens. Paul’s a friend of hers. Garry introduced us to some friends of his. She became a lifelong friend of ours. I want you to meet an old friend of mine. The Thackers are friends of ours. They shared the prize money with a friend of theirs. Is Maria a friend of yours?
(=the friend you like the most)· Fiona was her best friend.
(=one of the friends you like the most)· She’s a good friend of mine.
(=a friend who is very important to you)· I’d like you to meet a dear friend of mine.
(=someone who has been your friend for a long time)· We went to see some old friends who had moved to Harlow.
(=someone who has been your friend for the whole of your life)· The two men were lifelong friends.
(=someone who was your friend when you were a child)· She had been a childhood friend of Tony Walker.
· I met some old school friends for lunch.
· He’s visiting family friends.
· Mr Hutton is a close personal friend of my father.
(=someone who is a friend of both you and someone else)· They went to a mutual friend’s home for dinner.
(=a friend you like a lot and intend to keep)· They had remained firm friends ever since they first met.
· She told only a few trusted friends.
· Most of my male friends are married now.
verbs· Suzie has plenty of friends.
· Liz and Vanessa soon became friends.
· We have all remained friends despite some difficult times.
phrases· A friend of mine is going to Tokyo next week.
· I managed to get tickets from a friend of a friend.
(=all the friends someone has)· Her small circle of friends used to play cards together.
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES Jim relaxed, knowing he was among friends. They became the best of friends (=very close friends).· He married his childhood friend.
· Over the years she had established a circle of good friends.
· She was beautiful and had a wide circle of admirers.
Mark became a dear friend. a faithful friend I gathered together my few possessions. Diana and Laura have been firm friends (=close friends) since their early teens. Paul’s a friend of hers. Garry introduced us to some friends of his. She became a lifelong friend of ours. I want you to meet an old friend of mine. The Thackers are friends of ours.· We miss our friends and relations in the UK.
· About thirty-five close friends and relatives attended the wedding.
· She met some old school friends.
They shared the prize money with a friend of theirs.· When a friend upsets you, do you tell them?
· When friends upset you, do you tell them?
Is Maria a friend of yours?· He had long ago forgotten the dreams of his youth.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADJECTIVE· He named a man who, as I have said, was a very close friend of mine.· One of those Bill GatesAnn Winblad situations where you part the closest of friends and then what?· For seventy years Max Jacob has been regarded as Modigliani's closest friend.· Bulger has maintained that the trips were nothing more than personal vacations with a close friend.· They tried to assassinate her; and killed off two of her closest political friends, Airey Neave and Ian Gow.· The brilliant artist Peter Ellenshaw a close friend of Bill, was in a similar situation.· Brother to the Good Sir James, the Bruce's closest friend.· Sometimes he shared an outline or argument with his close friend Hal Owen, the country vet.
· I know I should not allow one of my dearest friends to discover so late on of my romantic attachment ....· My dear friend, I beg you to let us go ahead with our plan.· He was a dear friend to many and will be greatly and sadly missed.· But posting a bond would be risky even for a dear friend.· She deserved no less, for she was the kindest, sweetest, dearest friend he had in the world.· But the fact that you were a close and dear friend to my parents gives us a close bond, nevertheless.· First of all, my dearest man friend died of cancer, aged forty-two.
· She was always a good friend to me.· I sit on the curb outside my house, talking about books with my best friends, Freddie and Susan.· All I want is some friends, but as soon as I get some real good friends they go off and leave me.· Like third-grade best friends, these girls are not going to be separated.· And he was a very good friend to Tom.· Q: You and Faye Dunaway are good friends.· As little as possible, but some of my best friends love it, so it depends on them.· Both had grandsons who were best friends in the same grade in the same school.
· All of them were vaguely connected by work, or school, or mutual friends.· Yes, he must have, though l had no word from mutual friends or my parents or sister.· It was enough to have discovered one true mutual friend whose testimony could be relied upon.· He did not say so, but I presumed that a mutual friend had told him about my separation and divorce.· She was a staunch Methodist and a great admirer of our mutual friend Edna Jacques, of whom we often spoke.
· All kinds of people came to see plays and Will was making a lot of new friends.· Then she races to recess with her new friend.· Male speaker I've been juggling for about 5 months and it's a good place to meet new friends.· So he devoted himself to his many New York friends and to the Manhattan social scene.· They perhaps correspond in some ways to those of our new friend, Mr Bodenland.· Try to get out and about whenever possible, making new friends and contacts.· My New York friend had the right idea.
· So while helping my old friend, I would be losing him at the same time.· I was dawdling over dessert, still killing time, when an old friend, Rose Dikas, slid into my booth.· I share digs with an old school friend of mine, Daphne Harcourt-Browne.· It was in the handwriting of my old friend Henry Jekyll.· The old life, the old adventures, the old friends.· He enjoyed being with his old friends in Jerusalem.· Luigi, the fat, jovial owner, greeted Michele like an old friend.· You've moved house and now live in an area away from your family and old friends.
· Always helpful, he said he would have a word with Mallett, a personal friend, on my behalf.· Mter all, the doctor is a personal friend.· Come on all you personal friends of Batts out there; is this report true?· They were close personal friends in addition to business partners.· And if the new owners wish to allow in personal friends as members, why not.· Or maybe the greedy merchant is a personal friend.· Abbado is also a joy, and Barenboim I would now count as a personal friend.· The coroner was John Lancelot Martin, a personal friend of the deceased, as were several members of the jury.
NOUN· She was an old school friend, although we were out of school by then.· There she was able to board with the family of an old school friend.· He phoned an old school friend named Andy Rourke.· One successful enterprise was started by two high school friends who loved to eat.· He cadged fivers off various old school friends and workmates to tide him over until he could get to the bank.· How would my secondary school friends have described me?· On Friday evenings, he often attended a disco with school friends in a church hall near to it.
VERB· She had asked her friend to take her to see where Benny would be a student.· By then, the prosecutor said, Lawhone was obsessed with the girl and began asking friends to help kidnap her.· You could either ask a gardening friend if they could give you one or you could try and take one yourself.· First, ask friends and family who they use.· My daughter had asked a couple of friends from university to stay.· For the event walkers are asked to solicit friends, family, associates and others as sponsors.· I asked a young friend to read to me because I have difficulty in reading.· If she had been a timid child, she would probably have asked her friend Balie Waggener.
· You need to know your enemy before you can make it your friend and yes, fear can become your friend.· My six closest friends in the world all became close friends at Harvard Business School.· Endill and the Bookman became great friends.· It has become like an old friend, seen daily: not always dependable, but usually interesting, and sometimes right.· It is also where she first met many of the people who have since become loyal and supportive friends.· Which was around the time that Delia and Tammy became friends.· Freemantle knew Leapor's writing long before they had actually become friends.· Mike and I became friends at school, and I often had him to stay at my parents' house on weekends.
· Perhaps you are going on an outing or meeting a friend.· On the way over I met a friend, Dave, out jogging.· He met his friends in the small wood outside the village.· Although this particular occasion was rather marred by our mishap it was great to meet old friends again.· Colleagues wept as they told how she planned to meet up with a friend for a two-week walking holiday.· Through the Pattens, Joe met many new friends, some highly influential, others merely famous.
· For eight days he lingered in Clifton, staying with friends, until the river cleared and the service resumed.· The family were surprised to hear that he had written to his father asking if he could bring a friend to stay.· Instead, the older girl said, Garcia spoke of staying with friends and relatives in Houston.· I decided to go and stay with friends and tried to push it out of my head.· I stay with my friend Allan, a flaky architect I had briefly been infatuated with in 1983.· But she was staying with friends.· Hammeed was staying with family friends.
· You can tell all your friends!· Think of it as a form of computer dating you can actually tell your friends about.· I told my friend Bridget it was up to us to keep watch.· Filled with shame, she rarely tells a friend how inept, depressed, or restless she feels.· I smiled at both of them and told his friend my clothes suited him.· First, I was told she was visiting friends.· Only he and Mallachy knew about it, and sometimes he regretted that he'd told his friend.· The second thing is to tell your friend to get lost.
· Early one spring I drove down to South Carolina to visit some friends.· The abbe had allowed me to visit friends.· First, I was told she was visiting friends.· One day they were invited to visit some old friends who had moved to Hereford.· She also took the time to visit a Denison House friend of hers in Sheffield.· She said she was on her way home after visiting friends when the incident happened.· How often did Fred Taylor visit the homes of friends from the shop or otherwise see them outside work hours?
PHRASES FROM THE ENTRY► my honourable friend► my learned friend► Friend► be in the friend zonePHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES► furry friends► man’s best friend► some friend you are/some help she was etc
- I've never been a friend of Republicans.
- As far as she could remember, she had never seen the man before, he was no friend of Faith's.
- But a tame aesthetic is no friend of historical materialism.
- He was no friend of hers.
- Likud has made it plain it would be no friend of the process, and that would compound bloodshed with tragedy.
- Somebody lined him up, and that somebody is no friend of mine, Mr Millet.
- The Goddess of Love was surprised at the visit, for Hera was no friend of hers.
- Our friend with the loud voice is back.
- Bowen had friends in high places, and managed to raise large sums of money from the Carnegie and Rockefeller Foundations.
- He won't lose his job -- he has plenty of friends in high places.
- I just happened to have friends in high places, who could arrange things like meetings with the mayor.
- The Achym family had friends in high places, including the powerful Lord Burghley, and were allowed to return.
- But Tony and his colleagues have friends in high places.
- We have friends in high places, they said.
- Posing as a friend in need it approaches the unsuspecting host and takes a bite, usually from the gills.
- He asked me to be friends again, but I couldn't forgive him.
- He gave the Bookman a big hug and hoped they would be friends for a long, long time.
- Louisa had lied when she said they were friends.
- Ministers are at ease with the former, they are friends exploring a situation.
- Then they starved together, and now they were friends.
- They were friends of his, real estate developers with no expertise whatsoever in media, much less multimedia.
- We were friends, on Sunday afternoons we went running in the lower meadows.
- Did you make any new friends at school today?
- Her family moved a lot, and it wasn't always easy to make friends.
- The children soon made friends with the kids next door.
- Always an easy-going person, Guy had no difficulty in making friends in any situation.
- Everyone could make friends and count on seeing those friends again.
- Freddie manages to make friends with extremely shy Jessie, and their bond causes Jessie to blossom like the roses she grows.
- He even blamed them for his inability to make friends or establish ongoing relationships.
- Klein says she stays involved as editor of her high school paper, and Nyberg makes friends in the school marching band.
- Sport is more about making friends, building communities, and sharing experiences than keeping fit.
- They make friends with children in other cities without leaving town.
- Thus Ramsey found leisure to read, and write, and make friends in the diocese.
- But if you run into problems, make friends with the helpful staff at the enquiry desks. 2.
- Everybody, it seems, wanted to make friends with 18-to-49-year-old viewers.
- Freddie manages to make friends with extremely shy Jessie, and their bond causes Jessie to blossom like the roses she grows.
- Some girls show a guy they're terrific cooks - and my room-mate shows him she can make friends with his granny!
- They're starting to want to make friends with other children, but are not sure how to go about it.
- This time I tried to make friends with her.
- ""Are you going out with Liam?'' ""No, we're just good friends.''
- I'm not going out with Nathan, you know - we're just friends.
- I keep telling my mother that Peter and I are just friends but she doesn't seem to believe me.
- Billy and I were just good friends, really good mates.
- But maybe he and Jane were just friends.
- Maureen and I - we thought we were just friends.
- My wife and I are just good friends.
- They were just friends, and he was fun to be with.
- Caroline and her best friend both had babies within three weeks of each other.
- Stuart is just my brother's best friend - I've known him since I was six.
- We lived next door to each other when we were kids, and we've been best friends ever since.
- After all - the man was one of his best friends, wasn't he?
- Although many people would disagree, radio is without doubt the musician's best friend.
- Didn't any of his best friends tell him?
- He was like a kid who had found a new best friend, and she was it.
- He was not allowed to mention the slaughtering to anyone, not even as a special secret between best friends.
- I also learned to become my own best friend.
- Trials so that her injured best friend Kay Poe could advance.
- When Julie had a home problem, her two best friends at work tried to offer advice based on their own experiences.
- Benny and Garry were bosom pals once again.
- He was still my friend, my bosom friend.
- It is an open secret that he and Reg Pybus are bosom pals.
- It is now that man contemplates, for it is now that the sea is a bosom friend.
- Queequeg says they are now married-meaning they are bosom friends who would defend each other to the death.
- The first was affection of the kind that binds families together, or bosom pals.
- There was less arguing after that, but the two actors never became bosom buddies and never worked together again.
- Ishmael and Queequeg become fast friends.
- Other volunteers want to become fast friends and cultural advisers.
- The two become fast friends and Herbert gently and tactfully instructs Pip in social behaviour appropriate for a gentleman.
- The two of them immediately became fast friends.
- They never, however, became hard and fast friends and there was an unspoken rivalry between them.
- Within a few years they had become fast friends.
- However, don't feed your feathered friends very dry bread, desiccated coconut or salty food.
- No gratitude came from feathered friends.
- Henry had just come in with his new lady friend.
- Bringing one of your lady friends?
- Frank had given Terence's gramophone to a lady friend, and would he please not tell Mum?
- Henry had just come in with his new lady friend, Lila Sams.
- Michael Lamonte, according to his lady friend, was filming at Pinewood.
- There was something about Tom's lady friend that seemed familiar and yet Joe couldn't quite place her.
- They had hired two massive and attractive, expensive houses, and were accompanied by two attractive and expensive lady friends.
- They tell their lady friends, and then all secrecy is lost.
- You had two tables, the second one to accommodate your lady friends.
- His earliest rape, of a 19year-old girl, happened the previous year after they met via a mutual friend.
- It was enough to have discovered one true mutual friend whose testimony could be relied upon.
- She just wanted a mutual friend's number.
- The officials were eager to stress the mutual interests of our two countries and a future full of cooperation.
- The participating States also envisage holding future seminars on topics of mutual interest.
- Their mutual interest had transcended the age difference, and he had invited her back to his island home on Grand Cayman.
- He was a personal friend of the Kennedys.
- I need to do as well for Roy Peck, my personal friend.
- Mter all, the doctor is a personal friend.
- Or you may be a personal friend of Lucian Freud - lucky old you.
- The most obvious of these clubs is composed of officials' personal friends.
- The range was inspired, in 1935, by the Pasha of Marrakech, a personal friend of Louis Cartier.
- Their leaders, who were once close personal friends, are no longer on speaking terms.
- They were close personal friends in addition to business partners.
WORD FAMILYnounfriendfriendlinessfriendshipfriendlyadjectivefriendly ≠ unfriendlyfriendlessverbbefriend
1person you like someone who you know and like very much and enjoy spending time with: Jerry, this is my friend Sue. She’s always out with her friends. One of her closest friends died at the weekend. I met Jim through a friend.2be friends (with somebody) to be someone’s friend: I’ve been friends with the Murkets for twenty years.3a)make friends to become friendly with people: Jenny has always found it easy to make friends at school. b)make friends with somebody to become friendly with someone: He made friends with an old fisherman.4be just (good) friends used to say that you are not having a romantic relationship with someone: I’m not going out with Nathan – we’re just good friends.5supporter someone who supports an organization such as a theatre, art gallery, charity etc by giving money or helpfriend of the Friends of the Tate6not an enemy someone who has the same beliefs, wants to achieve the same things etc as you, and will support you: our friends and allies around the world She shot him a quick glance as if unsure whether he was friend or foe. Don’t worry, you’re among friends.7someone who has created a link with you on a social networking site on the Internet, by visiting your webpage and clicking on it: She has thousands of friends on MySpace.8parliament/court of law British English a)my honourable friend used by a member of parliament when speaking about another member of parliament b)my learned friend used by a lawyer when speaking about another lawyer in a court of law9be no friend of something to not like or be a supporter of something: I’m no friend of socialism, as you know.10Friend a member of the Society of Friends SYN Quaker11our/your friend spoken used humorously to talk about someone you do not know, who is doing something annoying: Our friend with the loud voice is back.12have friends in high places to know important people who can help you13a friend in need someone who helps you when you need it14be in the friend zone informal to be regarded as a friend by someone for whom you have romantic feelingsCOLLOCATIONSADJECTIVES/NOUN + friendsomebody’s best friend (=the friend you like the most)· Fiona was her best friend.a good/close friend (=one of the friends you like the most)· She’s a good friend of mine.a dear friend (=a friend who is very important to you)· I’d like you to meet a dear friend of mine.an old friend (=someone who has been your friend for a long time)· We went to see some old friends who had moved to Harlow.a lifelong friend (=someone who has been your friend for the whole of your life)· The two men were lifelong friends.a childhood friend (=someone who was your friend when you were a child)· She had been a childhood friend of Tony Walker.a school friend· I met some old school friends for lunch.a family friend· He’s visiting family friends.a personal friend· Mr Hutton is a close personal friend of my father.a mutual friend (=someone who is a friend of both you and someone else)· They went to a mutual friend’s home for dinner.a firm friend (=a friend you like a lot and intend to keep)· They had remained firm friends ever since they first met.a trusted friend· She told only a few trusted friends.male/female friends· Most of my male friends are married now.verbshave a friend· Suzie has plenty of friends.become friends· Liz and Vanessa soon became friends.remain friends· We have all remained friends despite some difficult times.phrasesa friend of mine/yours/Bill’s etc· A friend of mine is going to Tokyo next week.a friend of a friend· I managed to get tickets from a friend of a friend.somebody’s circle of friends (=all the friends someone has)· Her small circle of friends used to play cards together.THESAURUSfriend someone who you know and like very much and enjoy spending time with: · Dad, this is my friend Steve.· She’s going to Palm Springs with some friends.· I got a letter from a friend from college.· Amy’s a close friend of mine.· John was a really good friend to me when I had all those problems last year.acquaintance /əˈkweɪntəns/ someone who you know and see sometimes, but who is not one of your close friends: · We borrowed the money from one of Paul’s business acquaintances.mate British English informal a friend – used especially about boys or men: · He always goes to the pub with his mates on Friday night.· Terry’s an old mate of mine.buddy American English informal a friend – used especially about men or young people: · He’s out playing basketball with some of his high school buddies.pal informal a friend – pal sounds rather old-fashioned: · They met at school and have remained close pals.crony [usually plural] disapproving a friend – used about powerful people who will help each other even if it is slightly dishonest: · He’s one of the president’s cronies.companion written someone who spends time with you, doing the same things as you – used about animals as well as people: · travelling companions· His dog was his constant companion.· the perfect companionthe girls informal a woman’s female friends: · We’re having a girls’ night out.the lads British English informal a man’s male friends: · a night out with the ladsfriend1 nounfriend2 verb
friendfriend2 verb [transitive] COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES Jim relaxed, knowing he was among friends. They became the best of friends (=very close friends). Mark became a dear friend. a faithful friend I gathered together my few possessions. Diana and Laura have been firm friends (=close friends) since their early teens. Paul’s a friend of hers. Garry introduced us to some friends of his. She became a lifelong friend of ours. I want you to meet an old friend of mine. The Thackers are friends of ours. They shared the prize money with a friend of theirs. Is Maria a friend of yours?
Jim relaxed, knowing he was among friends. They became the best of friends (=very close friends).· He married his childhood friend.
· Over the years she had established a circle of good friends.
· She was beautiful and had a wide circle of admirers.
Mark became a dear friend. a faithful friend I gathered together my few possessions. Diana and Laura have been firm friends (=close friends) since their early teens. Paul’s a friend of hers. Garry introduced us to some friends of his. She became a lifelong friend of ours. I want you to meet an old friend of mine. The Thackers are friends of ours.· We miss our friends and relations in the UK.
· About thirty-five close friends and relatives attended the wedding.
· She met some old school friends.
They shared the prize money with a friend of theirs.· When a friend upsets you, do you tell them?
· When friends upset you, do you tell them?
Is Maria a friend of yours?· He had long ago forgotten the dreams of his youth.
PHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES► furry friends► man’s best friend► some friend you are/some help she was etc
to add someone to your list of friends on a social networking site: - Caroline and her best friend both had babies within three weeks of each other.
- Stuart is just my brother's best friend - I've known him since I was six.
- We lived next door to each other when we were kids, and we've been best friends ever since.
- After all - the man was one of his best friends, wasn't he?
- Although many people would disagree, radio is without doubt the musician's best friend.
- Didn't any of his best friends tell him?
- He was like a kid who had found a new best friend, and she was it.
- He was not allowed to mention the slaughtering to anyone, not even as a special secret between best friends.
- I also learned to become my own best friend.
- Trials so that her injured best friend Kay Poe could advance.
- When Julie had a home problem, her two best friends at work tried to offer advice based on their own experiences.
- Benny and Garry were bosom pals once again.
- He was still my friend, my bosom friend.
- It is an open secret that he and Reg Pybus are bosom pals.
- It is now that man contemplates, for it is now that the sea is a bosom friend.
- Queequeg says they are now married-meaning they are bosom friends who would defend each other to the death.
- The first was affection of the kind that binds families together, or bosom pals.
- There was less arguing after that, but the two actors never became bosom buddies and never worked together again.
- Ishmael and Queequeg become fast friends.
- Other volunteers want to become fast friends and cultural advisers.
- The two become fast friends and Herbert gently and tactfully instructs Pip in social behaviour appropriate for a gentleman.
- The two of them immediately became fast friends.
- They never, however, became hard and fast friends and there was an unspoken rivalry between them.
- Within a few years they had become fast friends.
- However, don't feed your feathered friends very dry bread, desiccated coconut or salty food.
- No gratitude came from feathered friends.
- Henry had just come in with his new lady friend.
- Bringing one of your lady friends?
- Frank had given Terence's gramophone to a lady friend, and would he please not tell Mum?
- Henry had just come in with his new lady friend, Lila Sams.
- Michael Lamonte, according to his lady friend, was filming at Pinewood.
- There was something about Tom's lady friend that seemed familiar and yet Joe couldn't quite place her.
- They had hired two massive and attractive, expensive houses, and were accompanied by two attractive and expensive lady friends.
- They tell their lady friends, and then all secrecy is lost.
- You had two tables, the second one to accommodate your lady friends.
- His earliest rape, of a 19year-old girl, happened the previous year after they met via a mutual friend.
- It was enough to have discovered one true mutual friend whose testimony could be relied upon.
- She just wanted a mutual friend's number.
- The officials were eager to stress the mutual interests of our two countries and a future full of cooperation.
- The participating States also envisage holding future seminars on topics of mutual interest.
- Their mutual interest had transcended the age difference, and he had invited her back to his island home on Grand Cayman.
- He was a personal friend of the Kennedys.
- I need to do as well for Roy Peck, my personal friend.
- Mter all, the doctor is a personal friend.
- Or you may be a personal friend of Lucian Freud - lucky old you.
- The most obvious of these clubs is composed of officials' personal friends.
- The range was inspired, in 1935, by the Pasha of Marrakech, a personal friend of Louis Cartier.
- Their leaders, who were once close personal friends, are no longer on speaking terms.
- They were close personal friends in addition to business partners.
I never friend someone I haven’t met in real life.