Making out

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

For the television series, see Making Out.

In human sexuality, making out is a sexual euphemism^[1] of American origin dating back to at least 1949.^[2] It covers a wide range of sexual behaviors,^[3] and means different things to different age groups in different parts of the U.S.^[1] It typically involves kissing,^[4] including prolonged, passionate kissing (also known as French kissing), intimate contact, including heavy petting-that is, skin-to-skin contact,^[1] or other forms of foreplay, even up to and in some usages including sexual intercourse.^[5] Making out is usually considered an expression of affection or sexual attraction to a current or prospective sexual partner. An episode of making out is frequently referred to as a make-out session.

The perceived significance of making out may be affected by the age and relative sexual experience of the participants. For instance, teenagers with little experience in erotic or intimate relationships may perceive making out as a serious act of intimacy, whereas those with more accumulated knowledge and experience may ascribe less significance to the act - as mere foreplay. Inexperienced teenagers sometimes play party games in which making out is the main activity as an act of exploration. Games in this category include Seven Minutes in Heaven and Spin the Bottle. Teenagers are also known to have social gatherings, referred to as "make-out parties" or "kissing balls," in which making out is the predominant event. Sometimes these activities are confined to a specific section of a party, which may be termed the "make-out room."^{[citation needed]}

[edit] See also

[edit] References

^ ^a ^b ^c Lief, Harold I. (1975). Medical Aspects of Human Sexuality: 750 Questions Answered by 500 Authorities. Williams & Wilkins, p. 242. “Among the city kids of 13 to 17 who live along the Boston, New York, Philadelphia string, "making out" is heavy petting.”
^ Partridge, Eric (2006). The New Partridge Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional English. New York: Routledge, p. 1259. ISBN 041525938X.
^ Lafollette, Hugh (2002). Ethics in Practice. Oxford: Blackwell, p. 243. ISBN 0631228349. “"making out," which can comprise a rather wide variety of activities”
^ Bolin, Anne (1999). Perspectives on Human Sexuality. Albany: State University of New York Press, p. 222. ISBN 0791441334. “Making out usually refers to kissing, but it also may escalate into petting. Petting includes everything up to and short of vaginal intercourse...”
^ Crownover, Richard (2005). Making out in English. Boston: Tuttle Publishing, p. 4. ISBN 0804836817. “"Making out," used in the title of this book is a colloquialism that can mean engaging in sexual intercourse, ...”