What does the phrase "hook up" mean to you?

to mean it means lets have sex sometimes it means lets hang out; to me it depends on who is saying it

It used to mean “meet”, now it means “have sex”.

I’m in the Air Force and I know that boom operators on KC-135 Stratotankers (aerial refueling jets) use the expression “hook up” to signify that they are about to join with a trailing aircraft to begin fueling it while they are aloft.

Now, as to the very essence of your question, if someone askes me if I want to ‘hook up’, I’m going with the idea that they want to hang out, have a good time, and enjoy each others company. Kind of like going out on a date, partially or completely.

Totally depends on the context.
My friends have used it both ways.
Such as “lets hook up this weekend”
or “jimmy and I totally hooked up last night!!”

It means “hang out” to me when somebody asks if we want to “hook up”

If a friend asks me to “hook up,” it generally means meet somewhere.
If a guy who I’m not just established friend with asks me, it probably means something a little more suggestive.
If I say I “hooked up” with someone, I probably mean that I made out with them, maybe a little more, but I distinguish between “hooking up” and actually having sex with someone.

well at least it’s clear I’m not wrong to think its meaning is ambiguous….

Now I just have to figure out which meaning a specific person has. :-P

If it is just good friends I think ‘let’s get together and hang out’.
If it is someone I’m attracted to, for instance, it may or may not mean
to get physical with that person.
It can mean different things, depending on who you are speaking of.

Does “hooking up” now always mean sex?

I take it to mean sexual activity with someone, usually without strings attached, but not necessarily intercourse itself.

I thought it was sex with no strings attached…but I’m old, and could be wrong! ; )

“Hooking up” to me = One night stand.

I always used to use it just to mean connecting up with somebody—meeting somewhere: “Maybe we can hook up when we’re both in the city.” My sons have been correcting me rather vigorously, advising that to the younger folks it means casual sex. I committed a rather bad faux pas by using it in the wrong way in front of their friends.

When I was in grade school and high school, “hooking up” always meant “making out.”

Hooking-up is french kissing imo

Depends on who is saying it I guess. If I were to use it I would mean hook up in some sexual way. Anything from making out to having sex… No specific meaning for me, I always just ask when other people use it.

@krose, do you mean that whenever somebody uses the expression “hook up” in your presence, you have to ask what they mean by it? Now, that sure sounds to me like it defeats the purpose of having slang.

@jeruba- haha yeah but I am not up on the latest terms. My friends know I’m a big loser who can’t keep up with times.
*edit- I’ll just be like “Wait… Did you…” And usually make a gesture. :) Then they’ll smile and that is my answer, or “NOOOO!!! We just made out”.

HOOKING UP…. Hmmmm i still think its guys mostly asking a girl to hook up meaning they wanna hang out and possibly have some fun too…