1
general::
noun ADJ. lone, single As a single father, he found it a struggle bringing up three children. | widowed | absent | biological, natural, real | adoptive, foster, step- | surrogate Elena's brother was a surrogate father to her kids after her husband died. | elderly, old | dead, deceased, late | caring, devoted, good, loving, marvellous He is very good with children and would make a marvellous father. | adoring, doting, indulgent | beloved She kept the books that had belonged to her beloved father. | proud He has just become the proud father of a baby girl. | domineering, overbearing, possessive | drunken, violent | doctor, engineer, immigrant, etc. Their musician father encouraged their love of music. VERB + FATHER resemble, take after The two boys were like their mother in character, but Louise took after her father. | follow, succeed She followed her father into the legal profession. He succeeded his father as Professor of Botany. | inherit sth from She inherited the urge to travel from her father. FATHER + NOUN figure Some of his students regard him as a father figure. PHRASES a father of two, etc. Boland, a father of two, was arrested on charges of theft. | follow in your father's footsteps He followed in his father's footsteps and became a motor mechanic. | the death/loss of your father
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
2
general::
father
a male parent:
• My father’s a doctor. • He’s a father of three.
dad
informal used when talking to your father, or about someone's father:
• Can I borrow your car, Dad? • Her dad retired ten years ago. • My dad was in the army.
daddy
a name for father, which is used especially by young children or when you are talking to young children:
• Where’s your daddy? • Daddy, can I have a drink, please?
pop
American English informal ( also pa old-fashioned ) used when talking to your father, or about someone's father:
• I helped Pop fix the gate this morning. • Can I help, Pa? • He is in New York with his Pop's credit card, eating all the ice cream and pizza the city has to offer.
papa
old-fashioned informal used when talking to your father, or about someone's father:
• Papa had forbidden me to go. • She saw her papa 's face change at this news.
sb’s old man
informal someone's father – used when talking about him in a way that is not very respectful:
• His old man wouldn’t let him use the car.
stepfather
( also stepdad informal ) a man who is married to your mother, who is not your father but often acts as your parent:
• Her stepfather is really nice.
Longman-Thesaurus