to try to convince someone to love you

[alpacinoutd]

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?

[alpacinoutd]

Please don't move my threads!

[probus]

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?

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 I don't believe romance as a verb is out of date, but if you want very current expressions try hook up with or (believe it or not!)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.

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".

[emsr2d2]

Let's be direct - "Netflix and chill" means "have sex".

[Charlie Bernstein]

Hello,

I learned that "romance" can be used as a verb. But some dictionaries say it's old-fashioned.

It sounds old-fashioned to me.

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?

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.

[alpacinoutd]

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?

[GoesStation]

It's fine. It isn't old-fashioned.

[Charlie Bernstein]

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.

[PeterCW]

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.

[probus]

Perhaps the word you are lookng for is woo although that is definitely old-fashioned. I've never heard it in speech but it's pretty common in older literature.