Double date

Meaning

The idiom "double date" refers to a situation where two couples go on a date together, often because they are mutual friends or family members. It is also used to describe a romantic or platonic outing with someone else's partner.

Usage

• My best friend and I decided to double date with our significant others last weekend.
• My sister asked me to join her and her boyfriend on a double date next Friday.
• We had a great time on our double date, even though my husband and I had never met before.
• I felt uncomfortable on the double date because my friend's partner was very outgoing and talkative.
• My parents decided to double date with their grandchildren last Sunday.

Roots and History

The idiom "double date" first appeared in English in the 1960s, according to the Oxford English Dictionary. Its earliest known usage was in a novel called "Sally Hemings" by Ernest Hemingway, published in 1974. The idiom has since become a common phrase used in contemporary language to describe social outings involving multiple couples.

Synonyms in English

• Threesome
• Quadruple date
• Group outing
• Double playdate
• Double activity

Synonyms in other languages

• French: "Quatre à table" (four at the table)
• Spanish: "Cuatro a la mesa" (four at the table)
• German: "Vierer an der Tisch" (four at the table)
• Italian: "Quattro al tavolo" (four at the table)

Similar Idioms

• tie the knot

• dead ringer

• dog eat dog