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Craig White's Literature Courses Terms / Themes make love |
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Oxford English Dictionary
to make love [after Old Occitan far amor (13th cent.), Middle French, French faire l'amour (16th cent.; 1622 with reference to sexual intercourse), or Italian far l'amore].(a) To pay amorous attention; to court, woo. Frequently with to. Also in extended use. Now somewhat archaic.
Historic examples:
1768
L. Sterne
Sentimental Journey
I. 79 You have been making
love to me all this while.
1948
W. S. Maugham
Catalina
(1958) ii. 18 Her lover Diego
no longer came to the window at night to make love to her through
the iron grille.
1972
B. Everitt
Cold Front
v. 38 ‘Are we conversing or
making love?’‥ ‘Let's go into the slow lane for a minute.’
(b) orig. U.S. To engage in sexual intercourse, esp. considered as an act of love. Freq. with to, with.
Historic examples:
1950 M. Peake Gormenghast xxix. 173 One of the Carvers made love to her and she had a baby.
1971
Daily Tel. 15 Jan. 17/1
Couples who make love frequently are more likely to have sons than those who
do so less often.
1999
T. Parsons
Man & Boy (2000) ii. 19
We were making love on the floor—or the futon, as Gina called it.
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