I. ˈdāt, usu -ād.+V noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English, from Old French, modification of Old Italian dattero or Old Provençal datil, from Latin dactylus, from Greek daktylos, literally, finger
1. : the oblong fruit of a palm ( Phoenix dactylifera ) that constitutes a staple food for the people of northern Africa and western Asia and is also largely imported into other countries
2. or date palm : a tall tree with pinnate leaves and large clusters of dioecious flowers that yields the date and is cultivated especially in many parts of the tropics
3. : washington palm
II. noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English, from Middle French, from Late Latin data, from data (as in data Romae given at Rome), feminine of Latin datus, past participle of dare to give; akin to Greek didonai to give, Sanskrit dadāti he gives
1. : a statement or formula affixed (as to a piece of writing, inscription, or coin) that specifies the time (as day, month, and year) and often the place of execution or making
a letter bearing the date 3 January 1856
2. : the point of time at which a transaction or event takes place or is appointed to take place : a given point of time
preparations were sometimes in progress far ahead of the eventful date — Della Lutes
Easter occurs on any date between March 22 and April 25
3.
a. : the extent of time that something lasts : duration
the short date of all things sweet — Rebecca P. Parkin
b. archaic : termination , end
4. : the period of time to which something belongs especially historically
sculptures of an early date
a style belonging to a later date
5.
a. : an appointment or engagement usually for a specified time
has a date with his lawyer to discuss the sale of a house
especially : an appointment between two persons of the opposite sex for the mutual enjoyment of some form of social activity
make a date with his girl
b. : an occasion (as an evening) of social activity arranged in advance between two persons of opposite sex
c. : a person of the opposite sex with whom one enjoys such an occasion of social activity
his date at the school dance
Synonyms: see engagement
•
- to date
- up to date
III. verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Middle English daten, from Middle French dater, from Medieval Latin datare, from Late Latin data, n.
transitive verb
1.
a. : to determine or fix the date of origination, fabrication, composition, or occurrence of
date an early American antique
: assign to a particular time or period of time
the start of the Counter Reformation is to be dated from this time — R.A.Hall b.1911
b. : to assign a chronology to
method for dating geological periods
2. : to note down, record, or mark with the date
bills are dated on the day they are made out
date the arrival of each new bird
engine blocks dated as they pass off the assembly line
specifically : to write and date
the news dispatch was dated from New York
3. obsolete : to put an end to
4. : to make a date with
she was dated several times by her boss
he didn't go to the dance because all the girls he knew were dated up
: go on a date with
she dated several boys of his acquaintance
5.
a. : to mark strongly or essentially with the qualities typical of a particular period
the manner in which the brushwork is handled dates the work of the great artists
b. : to make (as a style, an art work, or an artist) only briefly fashionable or artistically appealing : limit artistically to a short period of time especially time in the past : quickly deprive of artistic originality or freshness
sentimentality dates most 19th century novelists
a flashy architectural style dates a house
6. : to show up plainly the age of
his button shoes surely date him
intransitive verb
1. : to estimate or record the date or chronology
the historian dates by years, the geologist by millions of years
a machine that dates, weighs, and wraps automatically
2. : to become dated and written — usually used with from
a report dating from headquarters
3.
a. : originate
furniture dating as far back as the Revolution
the manuscript dates not later than the latter half of the 14th century
b. : to continue in existence : extend
a friendship dating from college days
pioneer stock dating back to 1640
4. : to become dated
a fashion that never seems to date
the novel, now a half century old, shows no signs of dating
IV. intransitive verb
: to go out on usually romantic dates ; also : to be involved in a romantic relationship
they dated , and he proposed by telephone — Time