acquaintanceac‧quaint‧ance /əˈkweɪntəns/ ●○○ noun 
She was a casual acquaintance of my family in Vienna. He heard about the job through a mutual acquaintance (=someone you and another person both know).► see thesaurus at friendRegisterIn everyday English, people usually say someone I know rather than an acquaintance:· I got the job through someone I know.2relationship [singular, uncountable] a relationship with someone you know, but who is not a close friend: They developed an acquaintance over the Internet. You can’t judge her on such short acquaintance (=when you have not known her long). My uncle did not improve on further acquaintance (=when you knew him better).3make somebody’s acquaintance formal to meet someone for the first time: I should be delighted to make Mrs McGough’s acquaintance. At the hotel, I made the acquaintance of a young American actor.4knowledge [uncountable] formal knowledge or experience of a particular subjectacquaintance with The practice of a lawyer requires acquaintance with court procedures.have a passing/nodding acquaintance with something (=have only slight knowledge or experience of something) He has a passing acquaintance with a lot of different subjects.5of your acquaintance formal a person of your acquaintance is someone that you know: The poems were written by various women of her acquaintance.6on first acquaintance formal when you meet someone for the first time: Most people are nicer than you think on first acquaintance.
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- An acquaintance of Derek's from Texas arrived earlier in the week.
- I don't want to talk about religion with business acquaintances.
- I first heard of the idea from a business acquaintance in Montpelier.
- Jane and I met through a mutual acquaintance at a party.
- She's just an acquaintance -- I see her sometimes at night school.
- She's just an acquaintance - I sometimes see her at aerobics.
- A senior international referee of my acquaintance was standing nearby and confirmed my opinion.
- And for all his imagination, he was not a good judge of character on limited acquaintance.
- Another acquaintance, some one we d not heard from since our last visit, apologized for not answering our annual letters.
- But she had come pregnant, with a teaching diploma, no money and few acquaintances.
- In this kind of case, pre-existing acquaintances were invalidated.
- The events are a good reason for the enthusiasts of this largely non-social past time to gather and renew acquaintances.
THESAURUS
someone who you know and like very much and enjoy spending time with: · Dad, this is my friend Steve.· She’s going to Palm Springs with some friends.· I got a letter from a friend from college.· Amy’s a close friend of mine.· John was a really good friend to me when I had all those problems last year.
someone who you know and see sometimes, but who is not one of your close friends: · We borrowed the money from one of Paul’s business acquaintances.
British English informal a friend – used especially about boys or men: · He always goes to the pub with his mates on Friday night.· Terry’s an old mate of mine.
American English informal a friend – used especially about men or young people: · He’s out playing basketball with some of his high school buddies.
informal a friend – pal sounds rather old-fashioned: · They met at school and have remained close pals.
[usually plural] disapproving a friend – used about powerful people who will help each other even if it is slightly dishonest: · He’s one of the president’s cronies.
written someone who spends time with you, doing the same things as you – used about animals as well as people: · travelling companions· His dog was his constant companion.· the perfect companion
informal a woman’s female friends: · We’re having a girls’ night out.
British English informal a man’s male friends: · a night out with the lads
Longman Language Activatora friend · Dad, this is my friend Steve.· She's going to Palm Springs with some friends.· I got a letter from a friend from college.friend of mine · I'm going out for a drink with a friend of mine tonight.be a good friend to somebody (=to be someone's friend and help them a lot when they have problems) · John was a really good friend to me when I had all those problems last year.
British informal a friend - use this especially about boys or men: · He always goes to the pub with his mates on Friday night.mate of mine: · Terry's an old mate of mine.
American informal a friend - use this especially about men or young people: · He's one of Mike's buddies.army/high school/war etc buddy (=a friend that you met in the army, high school etc): · He's out playing basketball with some of his high school buddies.
informal a friend. Pal is slightly more old-fashioned than mate or buddy: · Nicholas was a pal of William's at school.· Thanks for helping us out, Frankie. You're a real pal.
someone that you know and sometimes see, but who is not one of your close friends: · She's just an acquaintance - I sometimes see her at aerobics.· I don't want to talk about religion with business acquaintances.
someone who is not really your friend, but is someone one of your friends knows: · I got the tickets through a friend of a friend who works in the theatre.· No I don't know him personally, he's a friend of a friend.
someone you know, but not very well · She's just an acquaintance -- I see her sometimes at night school.business/childhood/musical etc acquaintance (=one you know from business, childhood etc) · I first heard of the idea from a business acquaintance in Montpelier.mutual acquaintance (=one that you and someone else both know) · Jane and I met through a mutual acquaintance at a party.
if you have met someone, you have seen and talked to them, although you do not know them very well: · "Do you know Chris?" "Yes, we've met."· We met once before at Jo's house.
when you meet someone for the first time to meet someone you have not met before: · Have you ever met his wife?· I was 15 years old when I met Andrew.· Dave, meet my brother Tom.· "How did you two meet?" "We were on the same exchange program in Madrid."· I'd like you all to meet my girlfriend, Claudia.first meet: · Where did you first meet Dr Steiner?· Janet and Pete first met at a mutual friend's cocktail party.nice/pleased/glad to meet you (=use this to politely say "hello" to someone you have just met): · "Hello, my name is Alan." "Hi, Alan. My name's Cindy. Nice to meet you."· "Doug, I'd like you to meet my mother." "Oh, pleased to meet you, Mrs Haggerty."
if you introduce someone to a person they have never met before, you tell them each other's names: · Have you two been introduced?· Yes, we were introduced last year at your party.introduce somebody to somebody: · That's a friend of mine from college. Do you want me to introduce you to him?let me introduce: · Oh, Bob, let me introduce Rosie Webb, our new marketing manager.allow me to introduce formal: · Please allow me to introduce myself. I'm John Fetty, the head of business development.
spoken say this when you are introducing someone to a person they have never met before: · "Sam, this is Julia - she's in college with me." "Hi, Julia, nice to meet you!"· "Mom, Dad, this is my friend Matt." "Hello, Matt, we've heard a lot about you."
formal to meet someone for the first time: · I'm pleased to make your acquaintance.· After seeing the way Mr. Wyatt behaved at the party, I had little desire to make his acquaintance.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY She was a casual acquaintance of my family in Vienna. He heard about the job through a mutual acquaintance (=someone you and another person both know).
She was a casual acquaintance of my family in Vienna. He heard about the job through a mutual acquaintance (=someone you and another person both know). (=have only slight knowledge or experience of something) He has a passing acquaintance with a lot of different subjects.
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES He has a passing acquaintance with a lot of different subjects. (=a group of people that someone knows)· She has a wide circle of acquaintances.
· She was beautiful and had a wide circle of admirers.
(=become friendly with someone again)
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADJECTIVE· He seemed to recall some casual acquaintance saying something recently about market gardening.· Still, Dave puts his family at great risk, yet takes smart precautions to protect a casual acquaintance.· You may have known some one else for twenty years and yet he will never be more than a casual acquaintance.· He will certainly have friends, neighbours, and casual acquaintances.· The majority were introduced to injection by a casual acquaintance.· Writers constantly have to deal with this prejudice, and it is well worth remembering this before discussing writing with casual acquaintances.· The young woman in question, a casual acquaintance of my family in Vienna, had inflamed me with cunning caresses.
· In one of my close acquaintances at B.P., rationing and shortages seemed to effect an eccentric metamorphosis.· I made no friends or even close acquaintances during my eighteen months at college.· Keble as a young man enthusiastically planned to edit his works, though on closer acquaintance with them he renounced the project.· On the other hand a close business acquaintance will be surprised to receive a letter from you with a very formal tone.· Cley's closest acquaintance was Councillor Deems.· This impression is borne out on close acquaintance, there being little variation in contour on the wide top.
· The men with the Brigade ties and their friends were running out of potential mutual acquaintances to describe.· There was only one John of their mutual acquaintance in Brixton prison: John Hebden.
· They gave my new acquaintance a somewhat belligerent aspect, you may be sure!· Because you are also likely to be valuable to your new acquaintances, friendships develop.· Does a children's party or a loved-one's funeral inhibit the urge to chat up new acquaintances?· Of course my new conservative acquaintances take the opposite view, sort of.· The tone of deference suggests that this person was a new acquaintance, and that Leapor respected her literary judgement.· But what specific actions can we take to enhance our satisfaction while at the same time reassuring our new acquaintances?· I could find no one among my internationalist new acquaintances who understood what was happening in my country.· Lucy was treating Jay like a delightful new acquaintance she couldn't quite place or fit into her life.
· But I could not bear to be supplanted in a view that lay next to my heart by an old acquaintance.· An old acquaintance visiting from California once asked to borrow my Teflon skillet to demonstrate his culinary skills.· She chats with old acquaintances who bought dope from her back in the old place.· I didn't think you were down there renewing an old acquaintance.· Jozef put me in contact with an old acquaintance of his, who still works for MI5.· And to see how many of my old acquaintance are dead ... Enough of that.
· My slight personal acquaintance with the subject of all this discouraging impersonal solemnity seemed slightly ridiculous.· However, even during adulthood we are constantly learning the faces of new individuals, both personal acquaintances and media figures.
NOUN· Usually clients and business acquaintances went through his secretary, and only the very important calls got passed through.· I hasten to add that she was a business acquaintance, not a friend.· We're supposed to be a couple, not business acquaintances.· On the other hand a close business acquaintance will be surprised to receive a letter from you with a very formal tone.
· Many questions have been raised about acquaintance rape since the surge of reported cases has been noted across the country.
VERB· I made the acquaintance of a girl and we necked all the way to Indianapolis.· I am so happy to make your acquaintance.· Last summer I had spent a couple of weeks here and made a few acquaintances.· Yes, you really must make the acquaintance of your great-uncle.· Cecil made her acquaintance as he read through the pages of one of her books.· Exalted girls hung out at back stages and at hotels, trying to make the acquaintance of new born stars.· Elizabeth and Jane make the acquaintance of two prosperous gentlemen, the affable Mr Bingley and his cold friend, Darcy.
· There will be a buffet reception afterwards - a chance to renew acquaintance with old friends.· Instead he renewed his acquaintance with Kate Molland.· Perhaps we shall renew our acquaintance in Barcelona tonight, where Real Madrid have their first major test under his management.· The man from Louisiana felt it was time to renew the acquaintance.· Johnnie Warburton renewed his acquaintance with Jack when they were designated to work alternate shifts.· It was so nice for me to renew acquaintance once again with my old and trusted friends, Ingleborough and Company.· I didn't think you were down there renewing an old acquaintance.· The events are a good reason for the enthusiasts of this largely non-social past time to gather and renew acquaintances.
PHRASES FROM THE ENTRY
1somebody you know [countable] someone you know, but who is not a close friend: - After seeing the way Mr. Wyatt behaved at the party, I had little desire to make his acquaintance.
- I'm pleased to make your acquaintance.
- Ms. Nichols is a writer of my acquaintance.
- A senior international referee of my acquaintance was standing nearby and confirmed my opinion.
- Few hackers of my acquaintance smoke.
- He looked around, and identified several of his acquaintances who might just have the information he needed.
- Instead, she was obliged to subscribe to Emerson's misleading account of their acquaintance.
- It seems that in the view of some of her acquaintances, Leapor was simply an ugly woman.
- Most men of my acquaintance revel in happy ignorance when it comes to knowing plans and dates for the weeks ahead.
- These colonies are millstones around our necks, as a noble lord of my acquaintance once said.
- Unfortunately, many of their acquaintances in the university showed considerable sensitivity to this latter mission of the Volunteers.
- Most people are nicer than you think they are on first acquaintance.
- Route finding can also be difficult so caution is urged on first acquaintance.
- Their interpretability, however, must not be exaggerated; their meanings are not necessarily wholly predictable on first acquaintance.
She was a casual acquaintance of my family in Vienna. He heard about the job through a mutual acquaintance (=someone you and another person both know).► see thesaurus at friendRegisterIn everyday English, people usually say someone I know rather than an acquaintance:· I got the job through someone I know.2relationship [singular, uncountable] a relationship with someone you know, but who is not a close friend: They developed an acquaintance over the Internet. You can’t judge her on such short acquaintance (=when you have not known her long). My uncle did not improve on further acquaintance (=when you knew him better).3make somebody’s acquaintance formal to meet someone for the first time: I should be delighted to make Mrs McGough’s acquaintance. At the hotel, I made the acquaintance of a young American actor.4knowledge [uncountable] formal knowledge or experience of a particular subjectacquaintance with The practice of a lawyer requires acquaintance with court procedures.have a passing/nodding acquaintance with something (=have only slight knowledge or experience of something) He has a passing acquaintance with a lot of different subjects.5of your acquaintance formal a person of your acquaintance is someone that you know: The poems were written by various women of her acquaintance.6on first acquaintance formal when you meet someone for the first time: Most people are nicer than you think on first acquaintance.