union

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fruit of the union

1. A child or children resulting from the union between two people, such as a marriage or domestic union. Also written as "fruit of one's union." Why wouldn't you want to have children? They're the normal fruit of the union of marriage! When we started the divorce proceedings, the largest question was who would retain custody over the fruit of our union.
2. The offspring resulting from a sexual union between two mates. A "labradoodle," one of the cutest but silliest-named crossbreeds around, is the fruit of the union between a Labrador Retriever and a poodle.
3. The outcome, result, or product of an interaction or union between two or more bodies, elements, or forces. Water is merely the fruit of the union of two hydrogen atoms and a single oxygen atom. The treaty was ultimately the fruit of the union of two brilliant academics on either side of the war, who worked for months with each side's leaders to find a peaceful solution to the conflict.
See also: fruit, of, union

union is strength

People are much more powerful and likely to succeed when they work together toward a common purpose. I know it's scary to defy the bosses, but union is strength! If we all stand together and refuse to work, they will have no choice but to meet our demands. The king brought the kings of the other regions together to propose an alliance against the invaders, arguing that union would be strength.
See also: strength, union
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2015 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

Union is strength.

Prov. If people join together, they are more powerful than if they work by themselves. The students decided to join together in order to present their grievances to the faculty, since union is strength. We cannot allow our opponents to divide us. Union is strength.
See also: strength, union
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
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References in classic literature ?
"In the favored unions are the flower of the American workingmen.
"On the other hand, the labor castes, the members of the favored unions, will strive to make their organizations into close corporations.
This foreshadowing of a slow social evolution was made when Ernest was first depressed by the defection of the great unions. I never agreed with him in it, and I disagree now, as I write these lines, more heartily than ever; for even now, though Ernest is gone, we are on the verge of the revolt that will sweep all oligarchies away.
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The "Union Stockyards" were never a pleasant place; but now they were not only a collection of slaughterhouses, but also the camping place of an army of fifteen or twenty thousand human beasts.
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"We wonder how such saints can sing, Or praise the Lord upon the wing, Who roar, and scold, and whip, and sting, And to their slaves and mammon cling, In guilty conscience union.
"A roaring, ranting, sleek man-thief, Who lived on mutton, veal, and beef, Yet never would afford relief To needy, sable sons of grief, Was big with heavenly union.
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The mails, unless repelled, will continue to be furnished in all parts of the Union. So far as possible, the people everywhere shall have that sense of perfect security which is most favorable to calm thought and reflection.
That there are persons in one section or another who seek to destroy the Union at all events, and are glad of any pretext to do it, I will neither affirm nor deny; but if there be such, I need address no word to them.
All profess to be content in the Union if all Constitutional rights can be maintained.
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Shut your hearts against the poison which it conveys; the kindred blood which flows in the veins of American citizens, the mingled blood which they have shed in defense of their sacred rights, consecrate their Union, and excite horror at the idea of their becoming aliens, rivals, enemies.
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But if we are unwilling to be placed in this perilous situation; if we still will adhere to the design of a national government, or, which is the same thing, of a superintending power, under the direction of a common council, we must resolve to incorporate into our plan those ingredients which may be considered as forming the characteristic difference between a league and a government; we must extend the authority of the Union to the persons of the citizens, -- the only proper objects of government.
There was a time when we were told that breaches, by the States, of the regulations of the federal authority were not to be expected; that a sense of common interest would preside over the conduct of the respective members, and would beget a full compliance with all the constitutional requisitions of the Union. This language, at the present day, would appear as wild as a great part of what we now hear from the same quarter will be thought, when we shall have received further lessons from that best oracle of wisdom, experience.
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(2) To pay the Western Union a royalty of twenty per cent on all telephone rentals.
The Western Union had lost its case, for several very simple reasons: It had tried to operate a telephone system on telegraphic lines, a plan that has invariably been unsuccessful, it had a low idea of the possibilities of the telephone business; and its already busy agents had little time or knowledge or enthusiasm to give to the new enterprise.
Every one knew that the Bell people had whipped the West- ern Union, and hastened to join in the grand Te Deum of applause.
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