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friend
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As a noun, friend means a person, typically someone other than a family member, spouse or lover, whose company one enjoys and towards whom one feels affection. As a verb, it means add (a person) to a list of friends on a social networking site.
Meanings of friend
15 meaningsnoun
A person, typically someone other than a family member, spouse or lover, whose company one enjoys and towards whom one feels affection.
“John and I have been friends ever since we were roommates at college. Trust is important between friends. I used to find it hard to make friends when I was shy.”
“We became friends in the war and remain friends to this day. We were friends with some girls from the other school and stayed friends with them.”
An associate who provides assistance.
“The Automobile Association is every motorist's friend. The police is every law-abiding citizen's friend.”
A person with whom one is vaguely or indirectly acquainted.
“a friend of a friend; I added him as a friend on Facebook, but I hardly know him.”
A person who backs or supports something.
“I’m not a friend of cheap wine.”
informalAn object or idea that can be used for good.
“Fruit is your friend.”
colloquialironicused only in the vocativeUsed as a form of address when warning someone.
“You’d better watch it, friend.”
object-oriented programmingA function or class granted special access to the private and protected members of another class.
climbingA spring-loaded camming device.
euphemisticA lover; a boyfriend or girlfriend.
usually preceded by "and"Used to refer collectively to a group of associated individuals, especially those comprising a cast, company, or crew
“Meanwhile on The View, Whoopi Goldberg and friends continue to issue forced apologies for their assumptive comments regarding non-profit organisation Turning Point USA...”
A member of the Religious Society of Friends founded by George Fox (the Friends have never called themselves Quakers)person
Similar: QuakerA person you know well and regard with affection and trustperson
“he was my best friend at the university”
Older and rare meanings (1)
ScotlandobsoleteA relative, a relation by blood or marriage.
“Friends agree best at a distance.”
“Make friends of framet folk.”
verb
To add (a person) to a list of friends on a social networking site; to officially designate (someone) as a friend.
Older and rare meanings (1)
obsoleteTo act as a friend to, to befriend; to be friendly to, to help.
Meanings from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Open English WordNet (CC BY 4.0).