Chaperon

In former times, a chaperon or chaperone was an older woman who accompanied a young unmarried woman on social occasions, especially when there were men present. Today, the term is used, often in a humorous manner, for anyone who accompanies a group of young people, especially in order to make sure that they behave properly.

A chaperon is usually a person who is sent over by a third party, to watch over one person or a couple while the observed object(s) is (are) out.

Chaperons were specially popular among parents of teenaged girls during decades gone by. As the modern times (say, 1970s, 1980s, etc.) approached, chaperons became used less and less, until nowadays, the idea of having a chaperon watch over a date could practically be seen as obsolete or un-cool by some teenagers.

Chaperons are still used, however, and some of them perform works that differ from that. For example, a chaperon might go with a group of elders to accompany them during outside activities.

In drama, probably the best known example of a plot revolving around the need for, and lack of, a chaperone is Brandon Thomas's farce Charley's Aunt (1892).

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For the proteins whose function it is to assist other proteins in achieving proper folding, see chaperone.