Flirting is a form of human interaction, usually expressing a
sexual or romantic interest in the other person. It can consist of
conversation, body language, or brief physical contact. It may be
one-sided or reciprocated.
Flirting is often used as a means of expressing interest and
gauging the other person's interest in courtship, which can
continue into long term relationships. Alternatively, it may simply
be a prelude to casual sex with no continuing relationship.
In other situations, it may be done simply for immediate
entertainment, with no intention of developing any further
relationship. This type of flirting sometimes faces disapproval
from others, either because it can be misinterpreted as more
serious, or it may be viewed as "cheating" if the person is already
in a romantic relationship with someone else.
People who flirt may speak and act in a way that suggests greater
intimacy than is generally considered appropriate to the
relationship (or to the amount of time the two people have known
each other), without actually saying or doing anything that
breaches any serious social norms. One way they accomplish this is
to communicate a sense of playfulness or irony. Double entendres,
with one meaning more formally appropriate and another more
suggestive, may be used.
There are three degrees of flirting. The first degree is
unintentional, and can occur during normal conversations between
two people. You are not consciously trying to impress or make the
other person laugh, but your subconscious is at work. The second
degree is intentionally trying to make the person laugh, or
impressing him or her. Lastly, the third degree of flirting is
intentional, and not at all subtle. The person is going out of his
or her way to impress someone.
Flirting may consist of stylized gestures, language, body language,
postures, and physiologic signs, some of which are also part of
foreplay. Among these, at least in Western society, are:
Eye contact
"Protean" signals, such as touching one's hair
Casual touches
Smiling suggestively
Winking
Sending and receiving notes, poems, mixtapes, or written
music
Saucy teasing
Footsies, the "feet under the table" practice
Giving gifts such as chocolates.
"Flirt fighting" (usually more common with younger people)
Batting eyelashes (in the past done mostly by females, but more
recently done by both genders).
The origin of the word flirt is obscure. The Oxford English
Dictionary (first edition) associates it with such onomatopoeic
words as flit and flick, emphasizing a lack of seriousness; it has
also been attributed to the French phrase conter fleurette, which
may be loosely translated as "to speak sweet nothings".
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flirt
