sweethearting n. the granting of special favors or privileges, especially to friends or family; in retail, the giving of unauthorized discounts or the abetting of shoplifting or other theft; the giving of a sweetheart deal. Editorial Note: A more established sense of sweethearting is ‘courting or wooing.’ Etymological Note: This is a natural outgrowth from existing uses of the attributive and adjectival sweetheart ‘privileged, exclusive, or preferential’ such as in sweetheart deal ‘a special, exclusive offer or arrangement.’ (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)