Dating

Dating is any social activity performed as a pair or even a group with the aim of each assessing the other's suitability as their partner in a relationship or as a spouse. The word refers to the act of agreeing on a time and "date" when a pair can meet and engage in some social activity.
In many cultural traditions, dates are arranged by a third party, who may be a family member, an acquaintance, or a dedicated matchmaker. Recently matchmaking services have become popular. Although dating rules in Western popular culture have become more relaxed during the 20th century, there is considerable variation between individuals' values. For example, when the activity costs money, it has traditionally been the man's role to pay; in recent times the practice of "going Dutch" (splitting the expenses) has emerged. Traditional dating activities include sharing entertainment or a meal.
Typically a person may date many different partners during the same time period in order to have the best chance of finding their most suitable available mate.Dating begins to play a role in some people's lives as teenagers, typically at the expense of time spent with peer groups or cliques. Some who have dated for a while may decide to "go steady", or enter an exclusive relationship with a single partner. Commonly cited reasons for doing this are relief from the stress of dating new people, and being able to rely on an escort for occasions of perceived importance. Cited disadvantages are non-specific feelings of being tied down, arising from the loss of opportunities to date a variety of other people, and from feeling obliged to focus on the growth of the steady relationship at the expense of their own growth. The phrase "X and Y are dating" can mean that X and Y are in an exclusive relationship with each other, or are courting. It can also mean that X and Y are independently involved in dating. The intended meaning must be inferred from the context.