Definition of "friend" in English

noun

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

   • ...if you consider any man a friend whom you do not trust as you trust yourself, you are mightily mistaken and you do not sufficiently understand what true friendship means.
   • ...he who looks upon a true friend, looks, as it were, upon a sort of image of himself. Wherefore friends, though absent, are at hand; though in need, yet abound; though weak, are strong; and—harder saying still—though dead, are yet alive; so great is the esteem on the part of their friends, the tender recollection and the deep longing that still attends them.
   • ...you are my devoted friend too. You do more and work harder and oh shit I'd get maudlin about how damned swell you are. My god I'd like to see you... You're a hell of a good guy.
   • Definition of a friend: One who walks in—when the rest of the world walks out.
   • 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.

2. An associate who provides assistance; patron, mentor.

   • The Automobile Association is every motorist's friend. The police is every law-abiding citizen's friend.

3. 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.

4. A person who backs or supports something.

   • I’m not a friend of cheap wine.

5. (informal) An object or idea that can be used for good.

   • Fruit is your friend.

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

   • You’d better watch it, friend.

7. (object-oriented programming) A function or class granted special access to the private and protected members of another class.

8. (climbing) A spring-loaded camming device.

9. (euphemistic) A lover; a boyfriend or girlfriend.

10. (Scotland, obsolete) A relative, a relation by blood or marriage.

    • Friends agree best at a distance.
    • Make friends of framet folk.
    • He was not a drop's blood to me, though him and my wife were far-out friends.

11. (in the plural, usually preceded by "and") Used to refer collectively to a group of associated individuals, especially those comprising a cast, company, or crew