acquaint

[ uh-kweynt ]

/ əˈkweɪnt /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR acquaint ON THESAURUS.COM

verb (used with object)

to make more or less familiar, aware, or conversant (usually followed by with): to acquaint the mayor with our plan.

to furnish with knowledge; inform (usually followed by with): to acquaint the manager with one's findings.

to bring into social contact; introduce (usually followed by with): She acquainted her roommate with my cousin.

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Origin of acquaint

1250–1300; Middle English aqueinten, acointen < Anglo-French acointer, Old French acoint(i)er, verbal derivative of acointe familiar, known < Latin accognitus, past participle of accognōscere to recognize, equivalent to ac- ac- + co- co- + gni- know¹ + -tus past participle suffix

OTHER WORDS FROM acquaint

pre·ac·quaint, verb (used with object)re·ac·quaint, verb (used with object)

Words nearby acquaint

acoustoelectric, acoustoelectronic, acoustooptics, acp, acpt., acquaint, acquaintance, acquaintance rape, acquaintance violence, acquainted, acquest

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Example sentences from the Web for acquainting

I wrote again to my father, acquainting him with the step I had taken, and narrating my escape from death in France.
The Orpheus C. Kerr Papers. Series 2|Robert H. Newell
I lost not a moment in acquainting Madame with the affair, and gave her the letter.
The Secret Memoirs of Louis XV./XVI, Complete|Madame du Hausset, an "Unknown English Girl" and the Princess Lamballe
However, I took an early opportunity of acquainting Juliet with my dilemma.
Discipline|Mary Brunton
Has Mr. Eldon been acquainting you with the particulars of the family history?
In Jeopardy|Van Tassel Sutphen

Still there existed the cruel embarrassment of not possessing the means of acquainting the latter with their situation.
The Bravo|J. Fenimore Cooper

British Dictionary definitions for acquainting

acquaint

/ (əˈkweɪnt) /

verb (tr)

(foll by with or of) to make (a person) familiar or conversant (with); inform (of)

(foll by with) mainly US to introduce (to); bring into contact (with)

Word Origin for acquaint

C13: via Old French and Medieval Latin from Latin accognitus, from accognōscere to know perfectly, from ad- (intensive) + cognōscere to know

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

acquaint

verb (used with object)

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Origin of acquaint

OTHER WORDS FROM acquaint

Words nearby acquaint

Words related to acquainting

Example sentences from the Web for acquainting

British Dictionary definitions for acquainting

verb (tr)

Word Origin for acquaint