Why do pp have different definitions of the word friend?

[2pac0900]

Why do people have different interpretations of the word friend? Why can't their be only one definition instead of many.

[chilaili]

Because people aren't clones. We all have our own feeling and opinion of what "friend" means and what being a friend means to us. We need and/or expect different things from the people in our lives. There are 6 billion people on the planet - do you really think we all agree?

[oddstray]

And in addition to that, language isn't stable. It changes every day. With the rise of social networking, "friend" has taken on many more shades of meaning than it already had.

[Checkered24]

The word does not fit into the box we, as individuals, would sometimes like it to.

People's definition of "friends" differ, because people's social relationships and expectations for thoses relationships differ.

[metamorphosis]

Some people use the word to justify/cover up an affair.