What's the difference between a friend and an acquaintance?

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I feel like I should know this but, honestly, I really don't.

I'm equally uncomfortable with everyone so I treat everyone like I've known them forever to compensate for my discomfort and appear social and friendly, even when I've just met them.

What's the difference between an acquaintance and a friend?

Freind=

They'd drop what they're doing and show up at the hospital if you were hit by a car.
They trust you enough to have you house sit for them.
You can just be AS around them and they'll tell you straight out if you've crossed a line, and still like you fine after. (though, playing the character in public is still needed)
They trust you enough to let go of personal details and happenings in their lives specifically to you.
They bother to look up AS and learn what it is their brains do seamlessly and ours aren't so efficient at if they're NT.
They go out of their way to invite you along on stuff or include you.
You've known them long enough that you're aware of the details in their environment that make them more at ease or happy ie
friend (n) mentioned wanting antique fans months ago and you stumble on some at a yard sale for cheap and you let them know
and or grab them, or friend (q) digs fabric etc etc.
They'll let you have the last cupcake.
They'd help you move.
They still like you even if you won't sleep with them.

Just some I've found to be true and I've had people leave the friend "zone" over something I said plenty of times without
understanding till much later what line I'd crossed. It takes an unusual kind of person to be an actual friend for me. Probably
for most here. I'm not sure if that was helpful or not.

This is a good question, personally though who I consider a friend is "someone willing to put your interests before theirs" or if they are genuinely happy around you. That's just my opinion though

I would have said that a friend is someone who would be willing to spend time with you for the sake of being in your company, whereas an acquaintance will pass pleasantries with you when you are thrown together by circumstance, but otherwise you go your separate ways.

This is a difficult question because I know loads of people of varying closeness. In a nutshell, I think a friend is someone that never gives up on you

Acquaintance - someone you have met and have contact with and may get to know who you see on a casual or regular basis i.e a workmate. This is someone who you are friendly to but they are not necessarily a close friend.

Friend - someone you have similar interests with and who you spend time with and who will treat you with kindness and respect and who won't judge you. They would help you through your problems and give you support.

That's my opinion anyway. Hope that helps

Wefunction- there is a big difference.

Friend-They are people who will reciprocate with you back and forth(I.E-Phone calls, invitations), Someone who is reliable at all times(I.E- Makes commitments and follows through on them.), Shows strong interest, Loves at all times and forgives at all times (IE-If you make a really bad choice, they aren't going to desert you).

Aquaintance- They talk to you but they do quite the opposite of all the above. These are people whom you are associating with and enjoy talking to but there is no mutual bond. (IE- You don't call each other back and forth, or exchange numbers). An acquaintance might say something that feels good at the time but never really carried through on plans. (IE- They might say, "You know, I have seen you x amount of times and I was wondering if you would like to meet me for lunch tomorrow." However, there is no real exchanging on phone numbers. The next day comes and they don't follow through).

I am just learning about the difference myself WF.

This is a good thread. I've been wondering the same thing for a while. According to the answers here, I have exactly one friend, who I live with. This may be due to the fact that I seem to alienate the people that I like the most.

Oh god tell me about it One of my bandmates told me I have a "special way with people".

Still, one is more than zero.

Friends come over to your place and hang out and you go over top their and hang out. You often talk to them online, you both go out a lot.

An acquaintance is someone you're friendly with. These are the people with whom you practice your formal social skills. By this I mean no rule-breaking such as teasing, sexual innuendo, personal disclosure, social touching...etc. With an acquaintance, you keep things formal and polite. With a friend, you can break more rules. You'll usually know when this happens because you'll see the other person breaking rules. It's simple, you just mirror the rules that the other person is breaking. That's how you know you just made a mutual transition from "acquaintance" status to "friend" status.

In my personal example, I consider many of my classmates acquaintances. I am friendly to them, we sometimes talk about the upcoming test, but I wouldn't disclose my AS to them or I wouldn't talk about my mom issues. With my best friend, who I'm really comfortable with, we don't say any niceties, and basic social skills are ignored or forgotten. I can just talk to her in my natural aspie way. This is a huge relief, and I don't know where I'd be without someone like that.

Basically you can be yourself around friends. Around acquaintances, you need to put on somewhat of a performance.

Does family count as friends?