I would say it implies intimacy, not necessarily sex as you said but both parties know that it is a date. One person covering the bill of two people usually and a sort of connection is meant to happen. I would say that a date means that you want to further your relationship to something more serious with someone.

Looked them up in a dictionary.

intimacy n. pl -cies 1. close or warm friendship or understanding; personal relationship. 2. (often pl. ) Euphemistic. sexual relations.

date 4. a. an appointment for a particular time, esp. with a person of the opposite sex. b. the person with whom the appointment is made. 11. informal, chiefly US and Canada,). to be a boyfriend or girlfriend (of someone of the opposite sex). b. to accompany (a member of the opposite sex) on a date.

{Since same-sex couples can also go on dates the definition in my dictionary is outmoded.}

Your question: Does a date imply intimacy?

I’d say, given the definitions above, that developing intimacy of all kinds is the goal of a date or dating, or that the final objective of dating is physical intimacy/ sexual intimacy/ short or long-term non-platonic relationship/ marriage/ all or part of the aforementioned.

Let’s say after a few dates you realize that the person isn’t going to be a love-interest but that you’d rather be friends (platonic) then the dating was successful in that you’ve eliminated the wrong potential partner. You’d probably start from scratch and date someone else in the hope that they become the right partner.

Clearly, I have too much time on my hands or I’m good at wasting time. I think it’s the latter : )

I guess, in the end, it depends what are the end-result expectations of the date. For me, I would never expect any type of intimacy on a first date...probably not a second, third, or fourth one either. To me a date, if there is an expectation of the possibility of a long-term relationship, is one that will consist of many over time...and as the two get to know each other better, intimacy MAY eventually occur over time.

If the intention of a date is, as an end result some level of intimacy, I guess I wouldn't call it a date...I would just call it what it was...a night of intimacy that possibly was proceeding with dinner or attending an even.

Intimacy or sex. There is a difference. I am not a hypocrite, but most men or looking for someone to fulfill their own sexual desires. That is sex, Intimacy has to do with an emotion, a connection with a partner during a sexual encounter. Does a date imply intimacy? It depends on if you FEEL that certain connection with your date. To most people a date is a date - find out about that person, what he/she likes. If you have interests in common. Does that person make you laugh, do you have chemistry together. It would have to be one helluva a date to lead to intimacy!

A date, for me, is the preliminary steps for a romantic and intimate relationship. My best (and perhaps only) friend is a woman (I am a man) and we go to the pub, go for coffee, lunch etc fairly regular. 100% platonic (neither of us would dream of anything more). Never would that be called a date