Veronika McLaren Feb 19, 2015:

@ Ms Faith To get back to your original question: One would need to have specific circumstances to consider an evening (or any time) staying "in" (watching a movie etc.) as going "out" - it may be decided upon as an "alternate arrangement" in a particular situation and between people/friends who are in some form of a relationship already.

Arabic & More Feb 19, 2015:

If you are looking for another option that can be used between friends in a non-romantic way, there is also "get together." You can get together at your home or another location.

"Let's get together sometime" could mean both.

Arabic & More Feb 19, 2015:

@Ms. Faith You can "hang out" anywhere (including at home), but "going out" implies leaving the home and going to a third location. Also, depending on the context, if you "go out" with someone, it could mean that you are dating that person. For example:

We used to go out together but then we broke up.

In this sentence, it means that the two people were dating (even if they never went anywhere together). The point is that they were a couple. Also, in the United States, if you ask someone to "go out" with you, it implies that you are going on a date. For example:

Would you like to go out with me on Saturday?

To an American ear, this would sound like a man inviting a woman out to dinner or a movie and not like a friend inviting a friend somewhere.

Veronika McLaren Feb 18, 2015:

That is a bit more formal. Simply "going" with someone can still mean spending a lot of time together, but "going out" to me would imply going to movies, sports events etc. together.

Ms Faith (asker) Feb 18, 2015:

Then what about "go out"? Can you ask someone to go out with you but what you have in mind is to invite him to your home and watch a movie together?