communicate
/kəˈmjuːnɪkeɪt
/verb [no object]
1Share or exchange information, news, or ideas: the prisoner was forbidden to communicate with his family...
- Neither system could communicate with or share operating information with the other.
- It's too bad that private businesses don't know how to communicate with their employees, especially the ones that are in business already.
- Overall, then, the Internet is becoming a key means by which Canadians obtain information and communicate with one another.
Synonyms
liaise, be in touch, be in contact, be in communication, make contact, have dealings, interface, commune, meet, meet up;
talk, speak, converse, chat, have a conversation, have a chat, have a discussion;
North American visit
informal have a confab, chew the fat, chew the rag, powwow
British informal have a chinwag
North American informal shoot the breeze, shoot the bull
1.1 [with object] Impart or pass on (information, news, or ideas): he communicated his findings to the inspector...
- The job is to try to communicate facts and factual information about these issues.
- In generating sales through good information or communicating internal news and directives, the newsletter has no peer.
- The media have always been and will continue to be the most important tool for communicating ideas and educating the public about ongoing problems.
Synonyms
convey, tell, impart, relay, transmit, pass on, hand on, transfer, make known, announce, report, recount, relate, set forth, present, divulge, disclose, mention;
spread, disseminate, circulate, promulgate, proclaim, broadcast, make public
informal let on about
1.2 [with object] Convey or transmit (an emotion or feeling) in a non-verbal way: the ability of good teachers to communicate their own enthusiasm his sudden fear communicated itself...
- An artist uses his work to communicate his feelings, emotions and understanding of a situation.
- They place value on whether they have been successful in communicating their feelings, in conveying their message, on seeing that others understand them.
- But the real heart of most advertising messages conveys information or communicates a feeling about the product or service being advertised.
1.3Succeed in conveying one’s ideas or in evoking understanding in others: a politician must have the ability to communicate...
- Sitting at a lunch counter or staging a press conference are not conventional, but they succeeded in communicating to an audience that was not willing to listen.
- His greatest gift was his ability to communicate, and he always conveyed a sense of optimism about his country and its people.
- They develop their ability to communicate and express their ideas and opinions in a productive and appropriate way.
Synonyms
get one's ideas across, get one's message across, make oneself understood, explain oneself, get through to someone, have one's say;
be articulate, be fluent, be eloquent
1.4(Of two people) be able to share and understand each other’s thoughts and feelings: we don’t seem to be communicating—we need a break from each other...
- They need to be able to communicate well with each other - not just about the positive aspects of their work but also to tackle problems as well;
- It is how you learn to communicate, to understand each other.
- She and I haven't ever really been able to communicate with each other.
2 [with object] Pass on (an infectious disease) to another person or animal: the disease is communicated from one person to another...
- The Act was passed merely for sanitary purposes, in order to prevent animals in a state of infectious disease from communicating it to other animals with which they might come in contact.
- Are afraid to actually touch the papers, because they're afraid that anthrax can be communicated.
- There had been "no exports of live birds or breeder eggs which could have communicated the virus to turkeys at the affected farm in East Anglia."
Synonyms
transmit, transfer, spread, carry, pass on, hand on, convey
2.1Transmit (heat or motion): the heat is communicated through a small brass grating...
- Each arises from three cells: one forming the bristle, one forming the socket out of which the bristle grows, and one forming the nerve cell that communicates bristle motion to the central nervous system.
- This elementary particle allegedly communicates gravitational forces throughout the universe.
3 (often as adjective communicating) (Of two rooms) have a common connecting door: he went into the communicating room to pick up the phone...
- Without a word, she floated past me and tiptoed to the door that communicated with her room, opened it a crack, listened.
- If this was the location of the door, then it communicated directly with the room or space west of the northern kitchen, rather than directly with the northern kitchen.
- All rooms communicate directly with this central space.
Synonyms
connect with, be connected to, join up with, link up with, open on to, lead into, give access to
4Receive Holy Communion: orthodox policy is to communicate in both kinds (i.e. both bread and wine)
Origin
Early 16th century: from Latin communicat- 'shared', from the verb communicare, from communis (see common).