# What does "hook up" mean to you? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 10, 2006, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-hook-up-mean-to-you/343939 "2006-02-10T23:58:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![saramamalana](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/74df32/32.png) [@saramamalana](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saramamalana)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2006, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-hook-up-mean-to-you/343939/1 "2006-02-10T23:58:10Z")
(I did a search and couldn’t find an earlier thread) I know people have different interpretations of what it means to “hook up” with someone. If you heard someone say “I hooked up with a guy/girl over the weekend,” or you were telling someone else about having “hooked up,” what meaning would you infer/intend? Please include if you are male or female. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![pinkfreud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pinkfreud/32/17603_2.png) [@pinkfreud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pinkfreud)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2006, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-hook-up-mean-to-you/343939/2 "2006-02-11T00:06:50Z")
This old thread might be of some interest: > **[Does "hooking up" always imply sexual activity?](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=327748)** > > I have checked the Urban Dictionary, but I’d like some input from y’all on this. A friend of mine accidentally overheard her 11-year-old daughter talking about “hooking up” with a boy she met at a swim party. My friend asked me whether this is... ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2006, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-hook-up-mean-to-you/343939/3 "2006-02-11T00:51:57Z")
It means to “get together.” Whether it means to get together in the carnal sense, or in the “becoming an item” relationship sense, or in a totally nonsexual sense, depends upon the context. (male, 37) ---
**Author:** ![ouryL](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ouryl/32/6067_2.png) [@ouryL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ouryL)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2006, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-hook-up-mean-to-you/343939/4 "2006-02-11T01:21:35Z")
> [@Thudlow Boink](#): > > It means to “get together.” Whether it means to get together in the carnal sense, or in the “becoming an item” relationship sense, or in a totally nonsexual sense, depends upon the context. (male, 37) Boink? ---
**Author:** ![Giraffe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giraffe/32/129_2.png) [@Giraffe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giraffe)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2006, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-hook-up-mean-to-you/343939/5 "2006-02-11T01:23:21Z")
I’d say hooking up means engaging in any sexual activity on the continuum between making out and having sex, including the endpoints. It usually refers to casual encounters, although getting together with exes also counts. I’m a guy. ---
**Author:** ![Askia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@Askia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askia)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2006, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-hook-up-mean-to-you/343939/6 "2006-02-11T03:48:08Z")
Hooking up is sexual. If all that happened was making out or heavy petting, I’m guessing that any implied “hook-up” is the guy, lying. ---
**Author:** ![Amaranta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Amaranta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amaranta)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2006, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-hook-up-mean-to-you/343939/7 "2006-02-11T04:01:21Z")
If someone says they “hooked up” with someone, I assume they mean sex. Not making out, not meeting for coffee, not hanging out somewhere, but having sex. This is the way I’ve always heard the term used. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2006, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-hook-up-mean-to-you/343939/8 "2006-02-11T04:44:58Z")
> [@Askia](#): > > Hooking up is sexual. If all that happened was making out or heavy petting, I’m guessing that any implied “hook-up” is the guy, lying. > [@Amaranta](#): > > If someone says they “hooked up” with someone, I assume they mean sex. Not making out, not meeting for coffee, not hanging out somewhere, but having sex. This is the way I’ve always heard the term used. Hooking up does include making out and “heavy petting”. But it must have a skanky element to it. A magical first kiss is not a hook up. Making out with some drunk girl in a bar is a hook-up. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2006, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-hook-up-mean-to-you/343939/9 "2006-02-11T05:25:00Z")
On the other hand, I could say “I’m hooking up with some friends this weekend for a movie”. Which unfortunately would probably not include any sort of sexual or presexual activity at all. It all depends on the context. Of course, there’s also the age-old observation that anything at all can be made to sound sexual, if you know what I mean. ---
**Author:** ![Giraffe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giraffe/32/129_2.png) [@Giraffe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giraffe)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2006, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-hook-up-mean-to-you/343939/10 "2006-02-11T05:31:27Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > Hooking up does include making out and “heavy petting”. But it must have a skanky element to it. A magical first kiss is not a hook up. Making out with some drunk girl in a bar is a hook-up. This is true. Another good thing about the phrase is that it can be used to convey the fact that naked sexual things happened without going into specifics. Maybe you had intercourse, maybe you had oral sex, maybe you just sat facing and threw olives at each others’ genitals (my personal favorite). If you don’t want to go into details, it’s a nice vague catch-all term. ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2006, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-hook-up-mean-to-you/343939/11 "2006-02-11T05:43:29Z")
To me it simply means to get in contact with someone over the phone. ---
**Author:** ![Askia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@Askia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askia)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2006, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-hook-up-mean-to-you/343939/12 "2006-02-11T06:09:47Z")
> [@Giraffe](#): > > This is true. Another good thing about the phrase is that it can be used to convey the fact that naked sexual things happened without going into specifics. Maybe you had intercourse, maybe you had oral sex, **maybe you just sat facing and threw olives at each others’ genitals (my personal favorite).** If you don’t want to go into details, it’s a nice vague catch-all term. Okay. That’s too freaky for me, dude. You win. ---
**Author:** ![Eleusis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Eleusis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eleusis)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2006, 6:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-hook-up-mean-to-you/343939/13 "2006-02-11T06:16:36Z")
I’ve used it both ways, once within the same conversation. I girl/previous best friend I hadn’t spoken to for years, “Yeah, I’ve been hooking up with tons of girls, you would be proud… … … so we should hook up!” :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Lionne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Lionne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lionne)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2006, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-hook-up-mean-to-you/343939/14 "2006-02-11T15:19:54Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Of course, there’s also the age-old observation that anything at all can be made to sound sexual, if you know what I mean. Oh, you just made me realize what I miss most about not owning a TV - “Whose Line Is It Anyway!” As for the OP - ‘Hooking up’ has always meant sex to me; not just kissing or heavy petting, but sex. Usually the casual kind. I’ve also heard, and used, ‘hooking up’ to mean ‘getting together with friends.’ All about the context. I’m female. ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2006, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-hook-up-mean-to-you/343939/15 "2006-02-11T15:28:29Z")
> [@Askia](#): > > Okay. That’s too freaky for me, dude. You win. You’re just saying that because a pitted olive would fit over your dick… and rattle when you shook it. 😛😃 ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2006, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-hook-up-mean-to-you/343939/16 "2006-02-11T15:46:57Z")
It’s a generational thing. For us old fogies, it means “meeting” with someone. For the younger set, it’s sex. I had a fogey friend correct me when I used the term in the “meeting” form, and it just sounded weird coming from someone in her late 40s. ---
**Author:** ![pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2006, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-hook-up-mean-to-you/343939/17 "2006-02-11T16:16:47Z")
Maybe this is why so few students show up when I suggest we hook up in my office after class. ---
**Author:** ![toadspittle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c0e974/32.png) [@toadspittle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/toadspittle)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2006, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-hook-up-mean-to-you/343939/18 "2006-02-11T17:49:02Z")
If you say to someone (opposite sex or not), “I’ll be in town this weekend. Let’s hook up.” It means “let’s get together, have dinner, go ride unicycles, etc.” Otherwise, it’s sexual. Particularly past tense. You’re a guy who hooked up with a girl? Sex. ---
**Author:** ![monica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a183cd/32.png) [@monica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monica)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2006, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-hook-up-mean-to-you/343939/19 "2006-02-11T18:38:53Z")
19-year-old female here. I consider it to mean anything from making out to having sex, and use it as such. ---
**Author:** ![cerberus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/71e660/32.png) [@cerberus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cerberus)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2006, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-hook-up-mean-to-you/343939/20 "2006-02-11T18:49:52Z")
If over the age of 30, “Hook Up” refers to the act of attaching some sort of vehicle to some other sort of vehicle. Or perhaps to obtaining some sort of phone, gas, water or electric service for one’s building. If under 30 or so, apparantly it refers to a social engagement that will invovle, with high likelihood, some sort of sexual interplay. Among some people, “hooking up” has a mere meaning of “to meet up”. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-hook-up-mean-to-you/343939.md?page=2)