Hello,
I learned that "romance" can be used as a verb. But some dictionaries say it's old-fashioned.
Can I say something like this?
John has been trying to romance one of his classmates.
John has been romancing one of his classmates.
If romance is old-fashioned, then what can I say?
Please don't move my threads!
Both of your examples are fine. I don't believe romance as a verb is out of date, but if you want very current expressions try hook up with or (believe it or not!) netflix and chill.Originally Posted by alpacinoutd
About that last phrase, one of my daughters (who just turned forty) told me she had been taught by a twenty-year-old that it does not mean "relax and watch TV" as she had thought. Instead it means "hook up with" or "romance".
Last edited by emsr2d2; 02-Aug-2020 at 08:21. Reason: Fixed typo
Let's be direct - "Netflix and chill" means "have sex".
Remember - if you don't use correct capitalisation, punctuation and spacing, anything you write will be incorrect.
And here I am, stuck with only a Hulu subscription.
Wear short sleeves! Support your right to bare arms!
John has been trying to one of his classmates.
John has been trying to get a date with one of his classmates.
John has been dating one of his classmates.
John has been trying to go out with one of his classmates.
John has been going out with one of his classmates.
Last edited by Charlie Bernstein; 02-Aug-2020 at 23:05.
I'm not a teacher. I speak American English. I've tutored writing at the University of Southern Maine and have done a good deal of copy editing and writing, occasionally for publication.
What I'm looking for is a term about what happens before going out. I mean he constantly talks to her, sends her messages and music on her phone and tries to court her in any way possible. Romance as verb is really good and I hate the fact that it is old-fashioned!
But I think, it is widely understood, right?
I mean, if I say "he has been romancing his classmate", that doesn't sound weird, right?
It's fine. It isn't old-fashioned.
I am not a teacher.
I still agree with your dictionaries. It's old-fashioned to my ears. I never hear it in conversation.
Maybe it's common in the southeastern US, where Goes lives. I've never lived there.
There's nothing wrong with it. It's a perfectly good word, and good words deserve to be said. It would just sound odd in the places I've lived.
I'm not a teacher. I speak American English. I've tutored writing at the University of Southern Maine and have done a good deal of copy editing and writing, occasionally for publication.
It is old fashioned because the underlying concept is considered old fashioned with the advent of dating and hook-up apps.
If the person is taking a romantic approach to developing a relationship then the word is appropriate. As is usual with English there are alternative terms with very subtle differences in meaning.
Retired magazine editor and native British English speaker - not a teacher
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