What do you class as a "friend"?

[Buizel91]

I class anyone who i can trust is a friend to me, and that's alot of people, if i have just met someone and the seem decent, again i will class them as a friend because their is no feud or argument between us and i'll probably get to know them better eventually.

but im curious as to what you class as friend?

 

[Claptrap]

Hmm, I would say someone i enjoy spending time with/talking and that i've know for awhile.

 

[Undeadpope]

Thinking about,I suppose anyone who wants to call me a friend I am happy to call a friend too.
The only major differences I suppose would be that A:Speak them constantly,daily or weekly at least
or B:I come into contact with them willingly,not because I work with them or what not

That said,reasons A or B don't stop someone becoming my friend,but are two very "friendy" qualities.

 

[Vampire cat]

A friend is a person that I have known for quite some time, a person that I care about and that cares about me. A friend does for me what I do for her/him, and wants me to have an equally good time as she/he is having.

I always want my friends to have a good time. If my friends need something I'll try and get it for them, if they need help I'll help. If they are a little short on money I'll lend or give them some. I'll always invite friends to events that I'm involved with incase they'd like to come, maybe they would enjoy it. I expect my friends to do the same things for me, only then will I call them my friends...

... I don't have a lot of friends...

 

[Sigel]

Friend is a label that I feel is used too lightly.

I have co-workers, people I know, and acquaintances(sp?) but very few friends.

I feel friends should be people you trust and who trust you.

 

[Outright Villainy]

My friends are those I'd trust with nearly any secret, or just generally feel comfortable having a heart to heart with, or just hanging out. Under that definition, I have few friends, but it's a lot better than having a lot of people you call a friend yet barely know.

 

[Marter]

Friend: Someone who I have fun being with. Someone who's personality does not irk me enough to wish I was away from them.

Good friend: Someone who I have a lot of fun hanging out with. Someone who has a personality that doesn't irk me much at all. Someone who I can tell minor important things to.

Best friend. Someone who I almost always want to hang out with. Someone who has a personality that doesn't irk me at all. Someone I can tell anything to, and trust with my life.

Of course some of these don't apply to all of them, but I feel definitions like these get my point across.

 

[Glademaster_v1legacy]

People who you can trust not to smack you in your dangly bits..... Seriously though someone you can trust and rely on. They have to be there with you when times are good and bad.

 

[Frequen-Z]

A friend is someone I share company with frequently who hasn't disappointed me yet.

When that inevitably happens, they are no longer a friend and their presence is a non-entity to me.

I have very little friends in real life, and that's just how I like it. I can't trust people not to sail me up the river or backstab me, so I just don't bother.

 

[Folio]

A friend is someone who knows who you were. Accepts who you are. Understands who you will become. And yet gently invites you to grow.

Or: A friend is someone who stabs you in the front.

Or: Friend, a person you share your life with at some level. Friend, random person you've met online and/or wants his/her attention badly yet ignoring that person for the rest of your life.

 

[Erana]

When speaking to others, friends are the people I associate with on a friendly basis.
Personally, though, I find that "friend" is just a societal label on a relationship that no one really heeds. Kinda worthless a term, really. Assuming that someone that's your friend is actually going to be kind toward you is like assuming all the guys on the Blu team are going to try to help you, because they have the same shirt color.

 

[latenightapplepie]

Friend is a label that I feel is used too lightly.

Then you should love this great bit from an episode of Boston Legal. I couldn't find a decent video of it, so I've just got the quote instead.

Spoiler

Alan: I probably do. But gosh, what I get from you, Denny ... People walk around today calling everyone their "best friend". The term doesn't have any real meaning anymore. Mere acquaintances are lavished with hugs and kisses upon a second or, at most, third meeting. Birthday cards get passed around offices, so everybody can scribble a snippet of sentimentality for a colleague they've barely met. And everyone just "loves" everyone. As a result, when you tell somebody you love them today, it isn't much heard. I love you, Denny. YOU are my best friend. I can't imagine going through life without you as my best friend.

Easily one of the best parts of one of my favourite television shows.

OT: I recognise very few of the people I know as true friends. The others are acquaintances, people I may be 'friendly with', but not friends. However, I think I could do better in making these true friends feel a little more special to me. That is something I think I need to improve on.

A friend is most often someone with whom I have spent a considerable amount of time. This is likely because I personally take a while to start to like people. Others are different, obviously.

 

[Kwaren]

I only label those who I would trust with my life as friends. I was going to list them but I then realized that I have more than I thought.

 

[Iznat]

Someone I can relate to, but not take too seriously.
And someone I actually enjoy talking to ^_^
And someone I trust.
And perhaps someone sexy.

Huh.

 

[MelasZepheos_v1legacy]

I have a very strict definition of friend. Someone who I can trust and who trusts me, someone I can talk to and should feel they can tell me anything, and someone who I would go to extreme lengths for if they asked me to.

Most people would probably qualify someone who is all of the above as a best friend, but for me that's a normal friend. Everyone else is an acquantaince. Not that I don't like my acquanatainces or consider them any less fun people to hang with, but if I can't talk to you freely, then you're not a friend.

 

[Assassin Xaero]

Someone I like and have fun with outside of school/work. Most people just talk to me at school/work at outside of it, I don't exist anymore... :/

 

[Ham_authority95]

Someone who I like to hang out with and have things in common with.

I'm not very picky.

 

[Aesthetical Quietus]

Anybody I know and like, is a friend. [By know, I mean know more on a day to day basis than someone I met like once, but can also apply to those]. So I end up having alot of friends, however, the next step up, is a semi-close friend, which is someone that I might go hang with for a couple of hours every so often. A close friend is the next step, and someone I love hanging with, and would damn near next to anything for and with. Then my bestest buddy is reserved for one person, and he's just like the most awesome guy ever.

Counts [Excludes the previous tier]:
Best: 1
Close: 2
Semi-Close: 3 - 5
Friend: 10 - 20

That's just a rough count, and definition.

 

[ViolentlyHappy91]

I class a friend as someone I actually talk to, and that actually wants to talk to me, so I don't have that many real friends.

 

[Trikeen]

someone who i can talk about nothing with and have absolutely no awkwardness.