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Brown’s Dictionary of Relationship Terms

A collection of words and terms having special significance in relationships,
at home, at work, and in the dating pool.

Relationshop > Brown’s Dictionary > Table of Contents

table of contents

the abuser’s favorite keywords and red flags

delusional • faking • pity partypoutingthe silent treatment

abuser tactics

kitchen sinking • accusations of giving the silent treatmentpity party • see also verbal abuse tactics, below.

breakup symptoms

flakyI’m not looking for a relationshipI need more spacejust friendsleading someone onmind games • you can do no right

cheater methods and issues

breakups • being flaky • hypersexual • lying • the Male Menstrual Cycle • mind games

childish interpersonal beliefs

carrot on a stickhonesty • it’s not a breakup — I just need more space • we can still be just friendsleading someone onnegativestoicism

commonly misused terms, words that children use incorrectly

apologize, apology • boundaries • conceited • crazy • you’re being defensive • dramafakeforgive • friend • gaslightingI was just being honestlow self-esteem • manipulative • Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD)negativenervous breakdown • neurotic • passive-aggressive • pouting • psychiatric put-downs • religious freedom • sense of humorsilent treatmentspite

techniques intended to reduce and/or damage your self-esteem

bullying • gaslightinggossipI never said thatkitchen sinkingmind games • calling someone needy • pathologizing • pronoun enlargement • psychiatric put-downs • stoicismverbal abuse • victim blaming • asking Why

how rude people operate

bigotcarrot on a stickconstructive criticismdating pooldisloyaltyevilfeeding frenzy in humans • gaslightinggossipjudgmentalkitchen sinkingleading someone on • manipulation • meanmind games • pathologizing • projection • psychiatric put-downs • asking Why

new theories of mind

the dating poolfeeding frenzy in humans • mind gamespolitical correctnessstoicism • victim blaming
staying in a relationship just long enough to get the woman pregnant, then falling out of love with her after precisely 23 days, like clockwork, aka the Male Menstrual Cycle

basic people skills and social skills

ambiguous complimentsapologydating pooleye contactleading someone onmind gamesnegativeno means nosadnessstoicism

common interpersonal issues and relationship disorders

apologize, apologyasexualbad in bedcomplimentdating pooldealbreakerfakeflakyforgivenessgossiphonestyI need more spaceirresponsibilityjust friendskitchen sinkingleading someone onloveloyaltyneedyno means nonon-monogamyoffice politicssadnessverbal abuse • victim blaming

the dangers of dating

bad in beddating pooldealbreakerdisloyaltyflakyhonesty • hypersexual • I’m not looking for a relationshipI need more spacejust friendskitchen sinkingleading someone onloveneedyno means nonon-monogamyverbal abuse

personality disorders and mental illnesses

bigotrycharacter flawfeeding frenzy • hypersexual • Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD)stoicism • victim blaming

verbal abuse tactics

bullying • character assassinationcutting off your nose to spite your facefeeding frenzy in humansgaslighting • calling victims hypersensitivekitchen sinking • being meanNarcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) • pathologizing • accusing victims of pouting • definition of verbal abuse

victim-blaming terms used by abusers

cutting off your nose to spite your faceemotionally unstablehypersensitivenegativepoutingshooting yourself in the footsilent treatmentspitestoicism

terms misused in the workplace

team player

workplace terms

hostile work environment • micromanagement • office politics • pluralizing oneself to look bigger, aka The Blowfish Tactic • talking down to people • team player • definition of verbal abuse

all terms A-Z

ambiguous complimentapologize, apologyasexualbad faithbad in bedbigot, bigotrycarrot on a stickcharacter, character assassination, character disorder, character flaw
complimentconceit, conceitedconstructive criticismcutting off your nose to spite your facedating pooldealbreakerdelusionaldepressiondisloyalty, loyaltydramaemotionally unstableevil
eye contactfake, phonyfeeding frenzy in humansflaky, unreliableforgiveness
gaslightinggossipgossipyhead gameshonestyhypersensitiveI’m not looking for a relationshipI need more spaceinstitutionalized bigotryirresponsibility, irresponsible
judgmentaljust friendskitchen sinking
leading someone on
lovemeanmind games
monogamyNarcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD)needy
negativenervous breakdown
no, no means nonon-monogamyoffice politics • pathologizing • personal worthphonypolitical correctness, politically correct, politically incorrect • positive • poutingresponsibility, responsible
sadnessself-esteemsense of humorshooting yourself in the footsilent treatmentslighted
spitestoic, stoicismteam play, team player, teamworkverbal abuse, verbal abuser, enabler of verbal abusewhy

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Brown’s Dictionary of Relationship Terms
Copyright © 2000–2026  J. E. Brown   all rights reserved.
Relationshop™: educational materials for good relationships
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