01 n. A state of being acquainted, or of having intimate, or more than slight or superficial, knowledge; personal knowledge gained by intercourse…
-
1.
A state of being acquainted, or of having intimate, or more than slight or superficial, knowledge; personal knowledge gained by intercourse short of that of friendship or intimacy; as, I know the man; but have no acquaintance with him.“Contract no friendship, or even acquaintance, with a guileful man.” — Sir W. Jones.
-
2.
A person or persons with whom one is acquainted.“Montgomery was an old acquaintance of Ferguson.” — Macaulay.“Our admiration of a famous man lessens upon our nearer acquaintance with him.” — Addison.“We contract at last such a familiarity with them as makes it difficult and irksome for us to call off our minds.” — Atterbury.“It is in our power to confine our friendships and intimacies to men of virtue.” — Rogers.
Phrases & compounds
To be of acquaintance —
to be intimate.
To take acquaintance of [or] with —
to make the acquaintance of.
Syn.
Familiarity; intimacy; fellowship; knowledge.
-- Acquaintance, Familiarity, Intimacy. These words mark different degrees of closeness in social intercourse. Acquaintance arises from occasional intercourse; as, our acquaintance has been a brief one. We can speak of a slight or an intimate acquaintance. Familiarity is the result of continued acquaintance. It springs from persons being frequently together, so as to wear off all restraint and reserve; as, the familiarity of old companions. Intimacy is the result of close connection, and the freest interchange of thought; as, the intimacy of established friendship.