/ deɪt; NAmE / noun , verb
■ noun
PARTICULAR DAY
1.
[ C ] a particular day of the month, sometimes in a particular year, given in numbers and words :
'What's the date today?' 'The 10th.'
Write today's date at the top of the page.
We need to fix a date for the next meeting.
They haven't set a date for the wedding yet.
I can't come on that date.
Please give your name, address and date of birth .
( especially NAmE )
name, address and birth date
There's no date on this letter.
—see also best-before date , closing date , sell-by date
PAST TIME / FUTURE
2.
[ sing. , U ] a time in the past or future that is not a particular day :
The details can be added at a later date .
The work will be carried out at a future date .
a building of late Roman date
ARRANGEMENT TO MEET
3.
[ C ] ( BrE ) an arrangement to meet sb at a particular time :
Call me next week and we'll try and make a date .
ROMANTIC MEETING
4.
[ C ] a meeting that you have arranged with a boyfriend or girlfriend or with sb who might become a boyfriend or girlfriend :
I've got a date with Lucy tomorrow night.
Paul's not coming. He's got a hot date (= an exciting one) .
—see also blind date , double date
5.
[ C ] ( especially NAmE ) a boyfriend or girlfriend with whom you have arranged a date :
My date is meeting me at seven.
FRUIT
6.
[ C ] a sweet sticky brown fruit that grows on a tree called a date palm , common in N Africa and W Asia
•
IDIOMS
- to date
—see also out of date , up to date
■ verb
WRITE DATE
1.
[ vn ] to write or print the date on sth :
Thank you for your letter dated 24th March.
FIND AGE
2.
[ vn ] to say when sth old existed or was made :
The skeleton has been dated at about 2 000 BC.
OF CLOTHES / WORDS
3.
[ v ] to become old-fashioned :
She designs classic clothes which do not date.
PERSON
4.
[ vn ] if sth dates you, it shows that you are fairly old or older than the people you are with :
I was at the Woodstock festival—that dates me, doesn't it?
HAVE RELATIONSHIP
5.
( especially NAmE ) to have a romantic relationship with sb :
[ vn ]
She's been dating Ron for several months.
[also v ]
•
PHRASAL VERBS
- date back (to ... ) | date from ...
••
WORD ORIGIN
noun senses 1 to 5 and verb Middle English : via Old French from medieval Latin data , feminine past participle of dare give; from the Latin formula used in dating letters, data (epistola) (letter) given or delivered, to record a particular time or place.
noun sense 6 Middle English : from Old French , via Latin from Greek daktulos finger (because of the finger-like shape of its leaves).