to fraternize
20
7.7
- verb
- /ˈfrætərnaɪz/
:
fraternizar con
- Official U.S. military policy discouraged its personnel from consorting and fraternizing with the native female population.
And then you've got, you know, Jimmy Savile in our country, one of, you know, fraternising with royalty.
- And then you've got, you know, Jimmy Savile in our country, one of, you know, fraternising with royalty.
- If you're going to fraternize and spend time with bad people, you want to be able to keep your distance and not get too close.
Examples
-
Stop fraternizing with the customers.
-
Is Ortega fraternizing with the civilians again?
Fiction book (1995) -
Are you even allowed to be fraternizing with someone like me?
-
The school board wanted to see me for "fraternizing" with the students.
Fiction book (1995) -
I'm not supposed to be fraternizing with the staff.
-
You're fraternizing with the enemy.
-
The base is cordoned off from the rest of the island; soldiers are forbidden to fraternize with the islanders.
Fiction book (1995) -
During the remainder of the year, the governor continued fraternizing with London's most important players, discussing American affairs.
Academic text (2014) -
Fraternizing with the enemy?
-
Players of opposing teams shall not fraternize at any time while in uniform.
Synonyms
222
3.3
To spend time with a particular group of people
134
1.0
Begin to be friendly with someone
68
2.8
To meet and spend time with other people
12
7.9
Spend time with people others may disapprove of
8
8.0
To spend time talking with important or powerful people
8
5.8
To meet and talk with important people at social events
5
7.9
To spend time talking with important or famous people
4
8.7
A friendly informal talk to make people like you and build contacts
1
4.7
To spend time with others in a friendly way, often for social or religious reasons
Antonyms
How Friendly
61
3.0
20
7.7
- US
68
2.8
222
3.3
∞
1.0
248
1.0
Surface Forms
Morphology
fraternize = fraternal (semi-transparent) = fratern + ize
The verb is formed with the productive suffix -ize on a brotherly or fraternal base, but the sense of socializing with an enemy is somewhat specialized.
Etymology
Fraternize comes from the Latin root frater, which means 'brother' and is the same root in fraternity and fraternal; imagine people acting like 'brothers' and sharing time together. That's why to fraternize means to be friendly or spend time socially with others, sometimes even with people you are not supposed to meet.