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Unfriend vs Befriend - What's the difference?

unfriend | befriend | Related terms |

Befriend is a antonym of unfriend.



As verbs the difference between unfriend and befriend

is that unfriend is to sever as friends while befriend is to become a friend of, to make friends with.

As a noun unfriend

is one who is not a friend; an enemy.

unfriend

English

Alternative forms

* (l)

Noun

(en noun)
  • One who is not a friend; an enemy.
  • * 1822 , Scott, Nigel :
  • Ye have back-friends, my lord, that is, un-friends , or to be plain, enemies.
  • * 1916 , William Edwin Chilton, John Downey Works, Fiscal relation between the United States and the District of Columbia
  • Thus many unfriends and some friends of the Capital agree upon the same policy with diverse and contradictory motives
  • * 1999 , Kees Waaijman, John Vriend, The mystical space of Carmel :
  • The unfriend' betrays me, ignores me, denies me, breaks me down; the ' unfriend is against and tries to devour my personhood.

    Synonyms

    * (l)

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • (rare) To sever as friends.
  • * 1659 , Thomas Fuller, The Appeal of Injured Innocence
  • "I hope, sir, that we are not mutually Unfriended by this Difference which hath happened betwixt us."
  • (Internet) To defriend; to remove from one's friends list (eg on a social networking website).
  • * 2007 , Mia Consalvo, Caroline Haythornthwaite, Internet Research Annual: Volume 4
  • "I asked her why, she said it was because I didn't comment, and I shrugged and said whatever. I didn't unfriend her."

    Synonyms

    * defriend

    Antonyms

    * friend * befriend

    befriend

    English

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To become a friend of, to make friends with.
  • * 1854 , (Henry David Thoreau), (Walden), p. 143.
  • Every little pine needle expanded and swelled with sympathy and befriended me.
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  • (dated) To act as a friend to, to assist.
  • * (rfdate) (Jonathan Swift)
  • Brother servants must befriend one another.
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  • To favor.
  • * 1599 , (William Shakespeare),
  • If it will please Caesar / To be so good to Caesar, as to hear me, / I shall beseech him to befriend himself.
  • * 1709 , (John Denham) "The Sophy", in Poems and translations: with the Sophy, a tragedy , Fifth edition [http://books.google.com/books?id=J_oKSClMF7cC&pg=PA259&lpg=PA259&dq=%22Now+if+your+plots+be+ripe,+you+are+%27%27%27befriended%27%27%27+With+opportunity%22&source=bl&ots=TM1JZjzUhv&sig=YqPk32bF8zeqdypmaXvHUKGZ_pQ&hl=en&sa=X&ei=ZQ1ZUNmmJsa_0QGBkoGgBw&ved=0CDoQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=%22Now%20if%20your%20plots%20be%20ripe%2C%20you%20are%20%27%27%27befriended%27%27%27%20With%20opportunity%22&f=false]
  • Now if your plots be ripe, you are befriended / With opportunity.
  • * 1709 , (Alexander Pope), ''(An Essay on Criticism)
  • Be thou the first true merit to befriend ; / His praise is lost, who stays till all commend.
  • * 1712 , (Joseph Addison), . As it is acted at the Theatre-Royal in Drury-Lane, by His Majesty's servants , Act II, edited and published by Jacob Tonson (1733)
  • See them embarked, And tell me if the winds and seas befriend them.
  • * 1843 , (Thomas Carlyle), , ch. 4, "Morrison's Pill"
  • This Universe has its Laws. If we walk according to the Law, the Law-Maker will befriend us; if not, not.

    Antonyms

    * * *

    Derived terms

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