Glossary

3

• 3-3-3 rule Checking a new connection at three set points

B

• Beige flags A quirk that is neither good nor bad
• Breadcrumbing Sporadic contact with no intention of meeting

C

• Casual dating Dating without agreeing to be exclusive or heading anywhere in particular
• Catfishing Dating someone under an identity that is not theirs
• Cookie jarring Being kept in reserve while someone pursues their first choice
• Cuffing season Pairing up for the cold months

D

• Dating app burnout Exhaustion, cynicism and a sense of pointlessness from app dating
• DDF Drug and disease free, a personal-ads claim
• Delulu Delusional, often on purpose
• Double texting Sending a second message before the first one has been answered
• Dry dating Going on dates without alcohol
• Dry texting Replying in short, flat messages that give nothing to answer
• DTR (define the relationship) Define the relationship: the talk about what you are

E

• Emotional cheating A hidden bond that takes a partner's place
• ENM (ethical non-monogamy) Non-monogamy that everyone involved knows about and has agreed to

F

• Friends with benefits (FWB) Friends who also have sex, by agreement
• Future faking Promising a future to get something now

G

• Ghosting Ending contact by going silent
• Green flags Early signs someone is good to be with

H

• Hard launch Posting a new partner openly, face and name

K

• Kittenfishing A real person behind a flattering profile

L

• Left on read Having a message opened but not answered, in an app that shows it was read
• Love bombing Overwhelming affection used to gain control
• LTR Long-term relationship, the personal-ads abbreviation

M

• Micro-cheating Small acts that break what a couple expects
• Monkey branching Lining up the next partner before you leave

N

• Nanoship A romantic moment too small to call a relationship
• Negging Backhanded compliments used to win approval

O

• Open relationship A couple that agrees sex with other people is allowed
• Orbiting Gone from your messages, still in your notifications

P

• Paperclipping An occasional low-effort check-in to keep you on file
• Pocketing Being kept away from a partner's friends and family
• Polyamory More than one romantic relationship at a time, with everyone's knowledge

R

• Rebound relationship New relationship before the last one is settled
• Red flags Early warning signs in a relationship
• Rizz Charm, the ability to attract someone
• Roster dating Openly dating several people at once while you decide

S

• Situationship Undefined relationship
• Slow dating Deliberately taking longer before meeting or committing
• Soft launch Hinting at a new partner on social media without showing them

T

• Talking stage The phase before dating is agreed
• The ick Sudden, often trivial, turn-off

Z

• Zombieing A ghoster who comes back as if nothing happened