What do you mean under the word a friend

What does it mean to be a ‘friend’?  The word ‘friend’ is one of the rare cases in the English language whose meaning has remained consistent throughout hundreds of years of usage.  The word of Germanic origin has existed in the English language since its founding in Old English.  Back then, ‘friend’ existed as ‘frond’ which was the present participle of the verb fron, ‘to love’.  The root of the verb was ‘fr-’ which meant ‘to like, love, or be affectionate to’.  We can still see the remnants of this verb every day of the week- Friday or ‘day of Frigg’ is devoted to the Germanic goddess of love Frigg.

To use the word ‘friend’ in Old English was to define a relationship with strong feelings, independent of sexual or family love- a meaning that is still very similar to the ‘friend’ we use over 1500 years later.   ‘Friend’, in a period of warfare and conflict, was also defined by its antonym ‘enemy’.  To be a ‘friend’ one could not be hostile towards the other- there were no friends on different sides of a conflict, and it was at this time that ‘friend’ extended its meaning to describe and define loyalty.  By Middle English and beyond, a friend had the added connotation of someone who would financially help a particular institution- ‘friends of the gallery’ (late 16th century) for example.  By the late 17th century friend was adopted into an adjective to mean, ‘well disposed, and not hostile’.

It is then of no surprise that ‘friend’ and its positive connotations began to be adopted by various groups and institutions of English speaking society.  In the 17th century ‘friend’ was adopted by The Religious Society of Friends who used the word (with a capitalized ‘F’) as the ordinary form of address, ‘A Friend’s meeting’ (late 17th century).  ‘Friend’ was also used by the legal profession- my ‘learned friend’ was used to address a fellow lawyer in court (from late Middle English).

In the late Middle English period ‘friend’ began to describe a romantic or sexual partner- we see this change in the meaning of ‘friend’ in words such as girlfriend, boyfriend, lady-friend, or man-friend.  To refer to a lover as just a ‘friend’ in Modern English however is considered a euphemism- ‘The boy’s mother was joined by a man described as her friend’ (mid-20th century).

Word	FRIEND
Character	6
Hyphenation	friend
Pronunciations	/fɹɛnd/

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What do we mean by friend?

A person whom one knows, likes, and trusts. noun

A person whom one knows; an acquaintance. noun

A person with whom one is allied in a struggle or cause; a comrade. noun

One who supports, sympathizes with, or patronizes a group, cause, or movement. noun

A member of the Society of Friends; a Quaker. noun

To add (someone) as a friend on a social networking website. transitive verb

To befriend. transitive verb

(be friends with) To be a friend of. idiom

One who is attached to another by feelings of personal regard and preference; one who entertains for another sentiments which lead him to seek his company and to study to promote his welfare. noun

One not hostile; one of the same nation, party, or kin; one at amity with another; an ally: opposed to foe or enemy. noun

One who is favorable, as to a cause, institution, or class; a favorer or promoter: as, a friend of or to commerce; a friend of or to public schools. noun

Used as a term of salutation, or in familiar address. noun

capitalized A member of the Society of Friends; a Quaker. noun

A lover, of either sex. noun

In Scotslaw, a tutor or curator. noun

Synonyms Companion, Comrade, etc. See associate. noun

Patron, advocate, partizan, well-wisher. noun

To befriend.

One who entertains for another such sentiments of esteem, respect, and affection that he seeks his society and welfare; a wellwisher; an intimate associate; sometimes, an attendant. noun

One not inimical or hostile; one not a foe or enemy; also, one of the same nation, party, kin, etc., whose friendly feelings may be assumed. The word is some times used as a term of friendly address. noun

A person other than a family member, spouse or lover whose company one enjoys and towards whom one feels affection.

An associate who provides assistance.

A person with whom one is vaguely or indirectly acquainted.

A person who backs or supports something.

An object or idea that can be used for good.

(used only in the vocative) Used as a form of address when warning someone.

A function or class granted special access to the private and protected members of another class.

A spring-loaded camming device.

A lover; a boyfriend or girlfriend.

A relative, a relation by blood or marriage.

Nonexistent Urban Dictionary

The thing you dont have Urban Dictionary

A friend is someone you love and who loves you, someone you respect and who respects you, someone whom you trust and who trusts you. A friend is honest and makes you want to be honest, too. A friend is loyal.
A friend is someone who is happy to spend time with you doing absolutely nothing at all; someone who doesn’t mind driving you on stupid errands, who will get up at midnight just because you want to go on an adventure, and who doesn’t have to talk to communicate with you.
A friend is someone who not only doesn’t care if you’re ugly or boring, but doesn’t even think about it; someone who forgives you no matter what you do, and someone who tries to help you even when they don’t know how. A friend is someone who tells you if you’re being stupid, but who doesn’t make you feel stupid.
A friend is someone who would sacrifice their life and happiness for you. A friend is someone who will come with you when you have to do boring things like watch bad recitals, go to stuffy parties, or wait in boring lobbies. You don’t even think about who’s talking or who’s listening in a conversation with a friend.
A friend is someone for whom you’re willing to change your opinions. A friend is someone you look forward to seeing and who looks forward to seeing you: someone you like so much, it doesn’t matter if you share interests or traits. A friend is someone you like so much, you start to like the things they like.
A friend is a partner, not a leader or a follower. Urban Dictionary

«a friend is something you obviously don’t have, since you’re browsing urban dictionary instead of hanging out with them» Urban Dictionary

Somebody that you still care and share alot in common with & hang around alot with. You can trust this person with secrets and goof off with this person. This person is someone who doesn’t go off and tell everyone your most embarrassing stuff. This person this person isn’t a best friend but is a great friend.
look up best friend Urban Dictionary

A person who would never intentionally hurt you, lie to you, deceive you, manipulate you, abuse you and who takes great care to be kind to you, honest with you, dependable and loyal. Someone who you trust without question because they have never given you any reason not to trust them. Someone you enjoy being around and look forward to seeing. Someone who would sacrifice themself for you. Urban Dictionary

A good friend will bail you outta jail.
a best friend will be right there next to you saying «dude that was fucking awesome!!!!!!!» Urban Dictionary

In friend there is an R that stands for real, without the R its fiend, a merciless demon only wanting to destroy you. Urban Dictionary

Verb—the act of adding someone to your social networking profile. Urban Dictionary

FRIEND-
» a kindred spirit. Someone who is born with a similar molecular structure as yourself and therefore interprets life through similar alien eyes thereby living on the same alien plane that you do.» Urban Dictionary

It has been said that if you can get through this life with one REAL friend, you are rich beyond measure.  I would agree with this.  Are these people friends or are they more wannabe friends?  Are they in your life because they truly love you or do they want something?  What do they gain by being your friend?  More importantly, what do you gain by being their’s?  Do we call them friends because we want it to be so or are they really a bonafide, would do anything for you at any hour of the day or night no matter the issue or request, cry with you while laughing at wild antics, seeing through any problem and never judging and take your secrets to the grave kind of friend?  I just don’t know.  Social networking has skewed all of this.  I have always tried to be a real friend to people.  I never have an agenda.  I never say one thing and mean another.  I have noticed that some people who claim to be friends really aren’t.  It hurts.  Sometimes a person’s political views can push people away (this has happened to me) and to them you should say good riddance.  If politics overtakes “real” friendship, they were never needed in your life in the first place.  

It’s sad when a person plays mind games under the guise of friendship.  I have noticed this all around me recently which prompted this post.  I have watched friends be torn apart inside by so-called-friends.  I don’t understand how people can proclaim to be another’s friend when they so obviously aren’t.    I can spot it a mile away and not much else can turn me off so quickly.  I have pulled away from people over my 46 years because their agenda is so darned obvious and I am sure you have, too.  It’s no fun to be played like a fiddle!

So, what does friend mean to you?  To me it means one who has your back, one who loves you no matter what, one who defends you, comes to your aid, one who listens with nothing to gain just because you need to talk.  A real friend has no agenda.  They don’t look you in the eye and say one thing and then go behind your back and say another.  They don’t ignore you and cast you aside and then act shocked when you are hurt by it.  Friends never think of themselves first but put you first.  If someone in your life proclaims to be your friend, gauge their treatment of you.  If you are wronged, you need to ask yourself if this really was a friendship or was it a wannabe friendship?  Don’t set yourself up for the hurt.  

Life is short.  Cull your real friends.  Make the rest earn their YOU time.  Value you and choose to stop the nonsense with so-called-friends.  This applies to family, too.  Blood is thicker than water but I fully believe that family can blow it, too.  You don’t have to lie down and be a doormat for anyone.  

What does the word FRIEND mean to you?  I would love to know…  

The word friend is used a lot in English conversations, writings, movies, television. The word has many different meanings, idioms and can be used in a lot of different ways. Read on if you want to know all the different ways friend is used in English.

I have included examples and dialogues to make it easier to understand and see how friend is used by native English speakers, in every day situations.

First of all, what does friend mean?

1. The noun friend refers to person that you have a good and close relationship with. This person is somebody who you feel you can trust and confide in.

2. A friend can be a member of the family, somebody you met at school or at work, somebody you have similar interests with or somebody that you like and enjoy spending time with. A relationship between friends is not a romantic or sexual relationship.

3. The noun friend can also be used to refer to a person or organisation that supports another organisation or group and usually gives them money or funding.

Below are examples of how friend can be used:

When friend is used to refer to person that you have a very good relationship with, a person that you can trust or a person that you have similar interests with.

• They are great friends, they met at work and realised that they have a lot in common with each other, they enjoy the same types of films and listen to similar music.
• This is my cousin Karen but she is also a very close friend, I tell her everything.
• “Is John your boyfriend? You are always together.” “No, he’s not my boyfriend, he’s just a really good friend. He is always there for me and we have the same sense of humour. We always have a great time together.”
• Who are your friends at school? Who do you spend most of your time with?

When friend is used to refer to a person or organisation that provides funding to another organisation.

• Sterling Ltd, has always been a generous friend to the company, without them this place wouldn’t have stayed afloat for so long.
• This charity organisation relies on our friend’s donations to help us make a difference in the world.
• The Carlyle group, friends of the National Art Museum, have been supporting us from the beginning and we are forever grateful to them.

Below is dialogue discussing somebody’s closest friend:

Justin: Who is your best friend?
Jane: Chloe is my best friend.

Justin: Why did you pick Chloe? Why is she different from your other close friends?
Jane: I picked Chloe because we have been friends for a long time and she has always been there for me.

Justin: What do you mean?
Jane: Whenever I need support or somebody to confide in, I know I can call her and she will drop everything to comfort me and reassure me that everything will work out.

Justin: That sounds like the ideal friendship. It’s very important to have loyal friends around you whom you know you can trust.
Jane: It is, I am very lucky.

Justin: Do you have a lot in common with Chloe?
Jane: I do, we are both passionate swimmers and we both enjoy outdoor activities such as rock climbing, hiking and jogging.

Justin: It’s the perfect friendship!

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More for you:
Collocations with Friend!
Other Ways to say BEST FRIEND?

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There are many different types of words that can be created with friend.

Nouns

1. Friendship
this noun describes a close and loyal relationship between friends.

• They have had a long friendship, they have been through everything together and can trust each other with anything.
• Before they started dating each other they had a great friendship but that all changed once they began dating.
• I feel very lucky to have her as a friend. We have so many things in common, we like the same music, we are both interested in sociology and we have similar political opinions. We have a great friendship and I hope we will stay friends for a long time.

2. Friendlessness
this noun refers to a case or situation of somebody not having any friends.

• Her friendlessness is a result of her timidness and lack of trust in other people.
• To be friendlessness can be very lonely and isolating, everybody needs somebody to talk to and to rely on.

3. Friendly
is used as a noun in sports terminology. A friendly match, is a match between two teams that is not part of any competitive tournament. Therefore the match is less competitive and gives the two teams an opportunity to train without any added pressure.

• “What is the point of a friendly match?” the player asked his coach “The point is you can put everything that you have learnt into practice and we can see what we need to improve on as a team”
• “Are you watching the match later?” “I don’t think so, it’s a friendly which means it will probably be boring.”

4. Boyfriend/girlfriend
this is the name of a person that you are in a romantic relationship with. Boyfriends and girlfriends are usually dating or exclusive to one another.

• This is my boyfriend, we have been dating for four years and are planning on moving in together.
• He asked her to be his girlfriend on Valentine’s Day.
• They were boyfriend and girlfriend for a long time before they got married.
• She loves her boyfriend and is the happiest she has ever been.

Adjectives

1. Friendless
this describes a person that has no friends or companions.

• Due to my selfish and greedy actions, I am now friendless. I pushed everyone away in my pursuit of money and fame.
• You are my only true friend, if you leave I will be friendless and alone, I need you here.
• There are children in school who are shy and find it difficult to make friends. The teachers try to help encourage them to socialise with their peers so they don’t remain friendless.

2. Friendly

• Friendly can describe a person’s characteristic – the friendly doorman is always outgoing and happy.
• Friendly can describe an attribute – he has a very friendly smile.
• Friendly describes an agreeable or hospitable environment – her house was alway friendly and welcoming.

3. Friendlier
is the comparative of the adjective friendly.

• Our old neighbour was a lot friendlier than the new neighbours, I wish they never moved away.
• Rebecca seems friendlier than her sister, she is a lot more outgoing and engaging.
• She wants to be friendlier with her colleagues but she is very shy.

4. Friendliest
is the superlative of friendly.

• Lucky is the friendliest dog I have ever met, he always wants to be part of the group and loves all the attention.
• Nowadays they are on the friendliest terms but in the past the two sisters were very hostile and aggressive towards one another.
• Greg is the friendliest policeman I have ever met.

5. User-friendly
is used to describe something that is easy to understand or use.

• They wanted to create a user-friendly device that anybody could use without confusion and with ease.
• When creating a website, a good web designer will also make sure to create a user-friendly site that every customer can use.

Verb

Friend
this verb is used to refer to the action of inviting or accepting a person as a friend through a social media platform.

• He friended her on Facebook after meeting her in a bar.
• After meeting each other on summer vacation, the two girls promised to friend each other on their social media accounts as soon as they arrived home.

Adverb

Friendlily
this describes a friendly nature or manner of something or someone.

• She friendlily approached the child as she didn’t want to frighten her.
• They laughed friendlily at Frank when he tripped over the rock.

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More for you:
Phone Conversation: Most Commonly Used English Phrases
Informal Letter to Friend About Summer Vacation

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Friend has many related idioms, let’s have a look at the most common idioms:

1. A friend in need is a friend indeed

This idiom means that true friends show themselves in times of need or when times get hard. Loyal friends stand by you while others disappear and offer little support or help.

Here is dialogue using the idiom:

Sarah: Karen was so supportive when my mother was sick, it really showed me who my true friends are.
Kim: Did a lot of your friends help you?
Sarah: Unfortunately I lost a lot of friends during this time. I think it got too intense for many of them. Karen was the only person who supported me and comforted me.

Kim: A friend in need is a friend indeed. When times get tough it’s always interesting to see who sticks by.
Sarah: I know what you mean. I was very surprised to be abandoned by some many people but it has shown me who my true friends are. Karen was there for me whenever I needed comfort and a shoulder to cry on, she was brilliant!

2. Fair weather friend

A fair weather friend refers to a person who was considered a friend but when times got tough and you needed them, they weren’t around to support you.

For example:

• When she was rich and famous she was surrounded by people she assumed were her friends. She realised they were fair weather friends when she became bankrupt and lost everything, these “friends” deserted her and she was left with nothing.
• Do you think he is a true friend or is he a fair weather friend? Will he abandon you at the first sign of trouble?

3. Friends in high places

Friends in high places are friends or acquaintances whom are powerful or influential in business or politics. You can rely on these friends to support you and help you get to where you want or help you get what you want.

For example:

• Many people think that you need friends in high places to become a powerful politician. That your intelligence or experience is irrelevant compared to who you know.
• Scott only had to serve one week in prison for his crimes because he has friends in high places, he should have served a much longer sentence.

4. Man’s best friend

A man’s best friend is a loving way of referring to a person’s pet dog as dogs are very loyal to their owner.

Here is dialogue using the idiom:

Son: Why do they say a dog is a man’s best friend?
Mother: People say that because dogs are loyal and devoted to their owners. You will see many dogs following their owner everywhere they go and protecting them from strangers or danger. Do you understand now?
Son: I do, now I want a dog!

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More for you:
10 Idioms About Friendship and Relationships [Infographic]
Friends With Benefits Meaning

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