A group of people distinguished by maddeningly complex
systems of
interrelationships,
tolerances, and mutual
acceptances of utterly
irrational demands and
desires developed over many, many years and resulting in a tangled
web of
existence that cannot ever be truly understood by an
outsider and--frequently--by the family itself.
This dizzying weave--also called family ties--is among the most indestructable fabrics of human society. Tearing it can be terribly difficult and painful. Sometimes can form a handy safety net when the rest of society rejects you. See also Friends.