夏天，你最期待的是什么？

是橘子味儿的汽水？亮晶晶的海滩？各种口味的冰棍？还是……怦然心动的约会（date）？

date作为动词表示“(谈恋爱)和...约会”，通常的表达是date somebody；作为名词表示“约会”或“约会的对象，恋人”，可以说：have a date (with sb)，go (out) on a date (with sb)或者make a date (with sb)。

例句：

Is he still dating Sarah?

他还在和萨拉谈恋爱吗？

I've got a date with one of the boys on my course tonight.

我今晚与班上的一个男生有个约会。

So come on, tell us, who's your date this evening?

得啦，告诉我们，你今天晚上跟谁约会？

在口语中有不少类型的date。但你知道cheap date吗？难道是“便宜的约会”？

今天我们就来聊聊各种date~

cheap date

cheap date并不是“便宜的约会”，这是一个美式俚语，表达的意思是“一喝就醉的人，易喝醉者”（=cheap drunk）；此外还有“酒吧里容易被搭讪的人”的意思。

例句：

Jack was drunk. I forgot that he was a cheap date.

杰克喝醉了。我忘了他是一喝酒就醉。

All it took was one small sherry，she’s such a cheap date.

总共喝了一小杯雪利酒，她就醉了。她是这么一个一喝就醉的人。

blind date

blind date则是指“从未晤面的男女间的约会”，俗称“相亲”。

an arranged meeting between a man and woman who have not met each other before

例句：

I always made a rule to never go on a blind date.

我一直坚持不去相亲。

Ted set Jane and Michael up on a blind date last week.

泰德上周为简和迈克尔精心策划了一场相亲。

heavy date

heavy date并不是“沉重的约会”，而是表达“重要的约会”，或者“与异性的幽会”。

a planned meeting between two people who are very interested in having a romantic or sexual relationship

例句：

I think Carol has a heavy date - she's been in the bathroom for over an hour.

我想卡罗尔有个重要的约会——她已经在浴室里呆了一个多小时了。

double date

double date并不是“两次约会”，而是“两对情侣一起出去玩；四人约会（两对情侣一同赴约）”。

a social engagement in which two couples go together

例句：

Oh, wait. Why--why don't we just make it a double date?

等等，为什么我们不来个四人约会呢？

Jane and I double-dated with two brothers.

我和简与两兄弟约会。

其实约会并不限于情侣之间，只要是“事先约定的会面”，都可以称之为“约会”。那么除了date，还有哪些“约会”呢？

appointment

appointment强调发生在固定时间和地点的预约，比如预约看牙医、和律师约定见面等，常用搭配是make an appointment。

an arrangement to see someone at a particular time, especially for a business meeting or to get a professional service

例句：

Sue rang up to make a dental appointment.

苏打电话预约与牙医的会面时间。

I have an appointment to see my lawyer next Saturday.

我与律师约好下星期六见面。

engagement

engagement除了表示“订婚、婚约”，也有“约定、约会”的意思，且十分正式，常用搭配是arrange for an engagement。

an arrangement to do something or meet someone

例句：

I'm afraid I have a previous lunch engagement.

恐怕我已经午餐有约在先了。

Official engagements take up about 50% of his time.

公务会面占去了他50%的时间。

（来源：外研社公众号）