The act of courting someone or trying to win their love and affection, typically through romantic gestures and attention.
From Old English 'wogian' meaning 'to court or pursue a woman.' The word originally meant hunting or pursuing, which metaphorically extended to the romantic pursuit of another person's affection.
Shakespeare used 'wooing' constantly in his plays because it describes the whole romantic game—compliments, gifts, poems, performances—all the elaborate ways people try to impress someone they want to date.
Courtship language historically positioned women as passive recipients of male romantic pursuit. 'Wooing' assumes initiator agency coded male, responder female.
Use to describe bidirectional romantic pursuit regardless of gender. Specify both parties when important: 'they were wooing each other' or 'she wooed him.'
["courting","pursuing (mutual)","romancing"]
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