What does "dateless" mean?
Out of one's head; deranged.
Dateless
/ˈdeɪtlɪs/ adj, slang
adj, slang ·Moderate ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: Out of one's head; deranged.
- Grammar: dateless is listed as adj, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: age old, age-old, ageless, ancient.
- Usage evidence: Poor soul, she's gone dateless, I think, with care, and watching, and overmuch trouble; and who can wonder?
How to use "dateless"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "dateless" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "dateless" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "dateless" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "dateless" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "dateless" is acting as adj, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "age old" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
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Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "dateless", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Adjective
- 1 Out of one's head; deranged.
"Poor soul, she's gone dateless, I think, with care, and watching, and overmuch trouble; and who can wonder?"
- 2 Without a date imprinted, assigned, or associated. not-comparable
"The other day was dateless, even for my dateless life; for I had forgotten time and had no notion of anything anywhere, when in a small French town I strolled into a cafe noisy with French talk."
- 3 Thick-headed. British, dialectal, slang
"Into the court you'd swanned, you dateless little pillock, if not wholly confident of winning, surely careless of losing."
- 4 Having no date—a meeting with a lover or potential lover. not-comparable
"It is hard to believe that she could be dateless on a Saturday night."
- 5 Timeless; immortal not-comparable
"the dateless and irrevoluble circle of eternity"
Show 2 more definitions
- 6 Without a start; immemorial not-comparable
- 7 Without an end; endless archaic, not-comparable
"Then can I drown an eye, unused to flow, / For precious friends hid in death's dateless night"
Adjective
- 1 unaffected by time wordnet
- 2 not bearing a date wordnet
- 3 of such great duration as to preclude the possibility of being assigned a date wordnet
- 4 having no known beginning and presumably no end wordnet
Example
"Poor soul, she's gone dateless, I think, with care, and watching, and overmuch trouble; and who can wonder?"
Common questions
What is a synonym for "dateless"?
Common synonyms include: age old, age-old, ageless, ancient, antique, auld.
How do you use "dateless" in a sentence?
Poor soul, she's gone dateless, I think, with care, and watching, and overmuch trouble; and who can wonder?
How do you pronounce "dateless"?
Pronounced /ˈdeɪtlɪs/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
Unknown. Perhaps derived from Old English þeatless (“thoughtless, without plan”). See also deedless.
Etymology 2
Coined between 1585 and 1595 from date + -less