1 chiefly US : to do an activity with someone you have might have a romantic relationship with : to go on a date or several dates with (someone) [+ obj] ▪ She dated a couple guys during college. ▪ He only dates younger women. [no obj] ▪ They dated a couple of times. [=they went on a couple of dates] ▪ They've been dating for six months. ▪ I haven't dated [=gone on a date] in 20 years. — see also double-date 2 [+ obj] : to write the date on (something)
▪ Don't forget to sign and date the application. ▪ The letter was not dated. ▪ a memo dated July 12th, 2003 ▪ a coin dated 1902 — see also antedate, backdate, postdate, predate 3 [+ obj] : to show or find out when (something) was made or produced
▪ Historians date the document to the early 1700s. ▪ The ancient building was dated by a coin found in one of the rooms. ▪ Scientists use various techniques to date fossils. — see also carbon dating, radiocarbon dating 4 [+ obj] : to show or prove that (someone or something) is old or from a long time ago : to make (someone or something) seem old-fashioned or out-of-date
▪ The decor really dates the house. ▪ I'm dating myself in saying this, but I remember when cell phones were rare. 5 [no obj] : to begin to exist : to appear for the first time
▪ This bowl dates from the sixth century. [=this bowl was made in the sixth century] ▪ a custom that dates back [=goes back] 400 years [=a custom that began 400 years ago] ▪ They found jewelry dating back to [=that was made in] the 1700s. ▪ a set of rules dating as far back as the Middle Ages