blood brothers
Ritually linked friends
Blood brothers are two people, usually men, who have sworn a bond of loyalty as strong as family.
Traditionally, the ritual involved cutting hands and pressing the wounds together, mingling blood to symbolize kinship: They became blood brothers as boys and remained close their whole lives.
The term also applies to biological brothers who share parents.
Formal agreement between parties
- oathFormal binding promise
- covenantBinding formal pledge
- allianceFormal union of parties
- commitmentFirm pledge to act
sworn · unbreakable · vow · promise · compact · pledge · trust · honor
Formal event marking occasions
- incisionControlled cut into tissue
- minglingCasual social interaction
- scarificationIntentional shallow skin cuts
- riteCeremonial act or practice
initiation · cut · wound · mixing · palm · blade · scar · wrist
Intentionally formed kinship network
- clanRelated group sharing ancestry
- tribeSocial group sharing ancestry
- lineageDescent from progenitors
- brotherhoodKinship among men
fraternity · extended family · ancestral · hereditary · consanguinity · affiliation · family bond · kith and kin
Loyalty owed to authority
- faithfulnessDevoted loyalty maintained
- devotionDeep, loyal commitment
- fidelityLoyalty or exactness
- steadfastnessFirm loyal dedication
dedication · unwavering · truehearted · constancy · fealty · honor · dependability · integrity
pact
Formal agreement between parties
commitment · sworn · unbreakable · vow · promise · compact · pledge · trust · honor · binding
ceremony
Formal event marking occasions
- incisionControlled cut into tissue
- minglingCasual social interaction
- scarificationIntentional shallow skin cuts
rite · initiation · cut · wound · mixing · palm · blade · scar · wrist · symbolic
chosen family
Intentionally formed kinship network
brotherhood · fraternity · extended family · ancestral · hereditary · consanguinity · affiliation · family bond · kith and kin · house
allegiance
Loyalty owed to authority
- faithfulnessDevoted loyalty maintained
- devotionDeep, loyal commitment
- fidelityLoyalty or exactness
steadfastness · dedication · unwavering · truehearted · constancy · fealty · honor · dependability · integrity · solidarity
comrades
Close allies in cause
- companionsThose who accompany
- alliesCooperative partners united together
- confidantsTrusted secret-keepers
buddies · mates · partners · sidekicks · chums · pals · amigos · brethren · homeboys · best friends
- Friendship Bondsloyalty, trust, bonds, fellowship, companionship
- Brotherhood Valuesloyalty, unity, solidarity, brotherhood, fraternity
- brotherly bondsbrotherhood, sibling bond, male bonding, kinship
- sworn bondsoath of fealty, loyalty oath, fealty, sworn duty, oath taking
- blood loreritual purity, animal sacrifice, purification rites, purification rituals, sacrificial rites
- bondsbond, corporate bond, corporate bonds, government bond, municipal bond
blood brotherssworn enemies
Adversaries committed to opposition
archenemies · nemeses · enemies · adversaries · antagonists
blood brotherstraitors
Those who commit disloyalty
backstabbers · betrayers · turncoats · double-crossers · fair-weather friends
blood, bloody, brothers, bloodline, bloodshed, bloodbath, bloods, bloodstream, bloodletting