acquaintance
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 5++LDOCE 5++ac·quaint·ance /əˈkweɪntəns/ ●○○ noun 1 SB you know 认识的人 [countable]KNOW somebody someone you know, but who is not a close friend 相识的人，泛泛之交，熟人 She was a casual acquaintance of my family in Vienna. 她是我们家在维也纳的一个交情不深的朋友。 He heard about the job through a mutual acquaintance (=someone you and another person both know). 他是通过一个双方都认识的人知道有这份工作的。► see thesaurus at friend RegisterIn everyday English, people usually say someone I know rather than an acquaintance: 在日常英语中，人们一般说someone I know，而不说an acquaintanceI got the job through someone I know. 我是通过一个熟人得到这份工作的。2 relationship 关系 [singular, uncountable] a relationship with someone you know, but who is not a close friend 认识，交情 They developed an acquaintance over the Internet. 他们在因特网上相识。 You can’t judge her on such short acquaintance (=when you have not known her long). 认识这么短时间，你无法对她作出评价。 My uncle did not improve on further acquaintance (=when you knew him better). 深交之后我叔叔依然如故。3 make somebody’s acquaintance formalMEET to meet someone for the first time 结识某人，认识某人 I should be delighted to make Mrs McGough’s acquaintance. 我很高兴能认识麦高夫太太。 At the hotel, I made the acquaintance of a young American actor. 在酒店里，我结识了一位年轻的美国演员。4 knowledge 知识 [uncountable] formalKNOW something knowledge or experience of a particular subject 所知；了解acquaintance with The practice of a lawyer requires acquaintance with court procedures. 当律师要熟悉法庭程序。have a passing/nodding acquaintance with something (=have only slight knowledge or experience of something) 对…一知半解 He has a passing acquaintance with a lot of different subjects. 他对许多学科都知道个一鳞半爪。5 of your acquaintance formalKNOW somebody a person of your acquaintance is someone that you know 你认识的〔人〕 The poems were written by various women of her acquaintance. 这些诗是她认识的形形色色的女性写的。6 on first acquaintance formalKNOW somethingKNOW somebody when you meet someone for the first time 初次见面时 Most people are nicer than you think on first acquaintance. 大多数人都比你初次见面时所认为的要好。
Examples from the Corpus
acquaintance• She's just an acquaintance -- I see her sometimes at night school.• She's just an acquaintance - I sometimes see her at aerobics.• An acquaintance of Derek's from Texas arrived earlier in the week.• Another acquaintance, some one we d not heard from since our last visit, apologized for not answering our annual letters.• I first heard of the idea from a business acquaintance in Montpelier.• I don't want to talk about religion with business acquaintances.• In this kind of case, pre-existing acquaintances were invalidated.• But she had come pregnant, with a teaching diploma, no money and few acquaintances.• And for all his imagination, he was not a good judge of character on limited acquaintance.• Jane and I met through a mutual acquaintance at a party.• A senior international referee of my acquaintance was standing nearby and confirmed my opinion.• The events are a good reason for the enthusiasts of this largely non-social past time to gather and renew acquaintances.casual acquaintance• The majority were introduced to injection by a casual acquaintance.• Still, Dave puts his family at great risk, yet takes smart precautions to protect a casual acquaintance.• The young woman in question, a casual acquaintance of my family in Vienna, had inflamed me with cunning caresses.• 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.• He seemed to recall some casual acquaintance saying something recently about market gardening.• Writers constantly have to deal with this prejudice, and it is well worth remembering this before discussing writing with casual acquaintances.ac·quaint·ance noun →REGISTER1ChineseSyllable
a not but who someone is Corpus know, you
acquaintance
ac‧quaint‧ance /əˈkweɪntəns/
noun
1. SOMEBODY YOU KNOW [countable] someone you know, but who is not a close friend:
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).
REGISTER
In everyday English, people usually say someone I know rather than an acquaintance:
▪I got the job through someone I know.
2. RELATIONSHIP [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).
3. make sb’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.
4. KNOWLEDGE [uncountable] formal knowledge or experience of a particular subject
acquaintance 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.
5. of your acquaintance formal a person of your acquaintance is someone that you know:
The poems were written by various women of her acquaintance.
6. on first acquaintance formal when you meet someone for the first time:
Most people are nicer than you think on first acquaintance.
▪ friend 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.
▪acquaintance /əˈkweɪntəns/ 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.
▪mate 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.
▪buddy American English informal a friend – used especially about men or young people: He’s out playing basketball with some of his high school buddies.
▪pal informal a friend – pal sounds rather old-fashioned: They met at school and have remained close pals.
▪crony [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.
▪companion 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
▪the girls informal a woman’s female friends: We’re having a girls’ night out.
▪the lads British English informal a man’s male friends: a night out with the lads
ac‧quaint‧ance /əˈkweɪntəns/
noun1. SOMEBODY YOU KNOW [countable] someone you know, but who is not a close friend:
REGISTER
In everyday English, people usually say someone I know rather than an acquaintance:
▪
2. RELATIONSHIP [singular, uncountable] a relationship with someone you know, but who is not a close friend:
3. make sb’s acquaintance formal to meet someone for the first time:
4. KNOWLEDGE [uncountable] formal knowledge or experience of a particular subject
acquaintance with
have a passing/nodding acquaintance with something (=have only slight knowledge or experience of something)
5. of your acquaintance formal a person of your acquaintance is someone that you know:
6. on first acquaintance formal when you meet someone for the first time:
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