n examining relationships, it is important to first define terminology typically associated with romance and relationships. Let us begin by defining a relationship as it stands in the dictionary. A relationship is a: 1) "romantic or passionate attachment" or 2) "the state of being related or interrelated". From this dry definition it may be concluded that a relationship may be a binding of more than one person of a friendly flavor or of romantic flavor. Becoming more specific, Webster�s Online Dictionary defines friendship as "the state of being attached to another by affection or esteem". Also friendship may be defined as "the favored companionship of people". Again this definition relates the ideas that friendship is a type of relationship in which people choose to relate because of favor or some sort of preferred attachment. Interesting is the fact that Webster�s definition links friendship with affection and self-esteem, leading the way into our inference that dating is a higher level of having a friendship with more affection. Dating is explained as to accompany, escort; court, woo another. Long-term relationships are usually considered to be a balance of dating and courting depending on the couple. The dictionary definition of courting is "to engage in social activities leading to engagement and marriage". Obviously, courting (albeit a somewhat old-fashioned and less used term) is yet a further advanced level of dating and hence a relationship. Courting appears to be reserved for those couples with more serious interest in finding a permanent partner or mate. Finally the definition of the apparent goal of romantic relationships: "Marriage � 1) an intimate or close union. 2) the institution whereby men and women are joined in a special kind of social and legal dependence for the purpose of founding and maintaining a family". Noteworthy in the two Webster�s