acquaint
Language: English
Part of speech: verb
Pronunciation: ipa: /əˈkweɪnt/
rhymes: -eɪnt
Forms: form: acquaints
form: acquainting
form: acquainted
form: acquainted
Etymology: From Middle English aqueynten, acointen, from Old French acointier, from Early Medieval Latin accognitāre, from Late Latin accognitus, past participle of accognoscō, from Latin cognoscō, from nōscō. See also quaint, know.
Senses: examples: text: I think you should acquaint him with the realities of the situation.
text: He is despised and reiected of men, a man of sorrows, and acquainted with griefe: and we hid as it were our faces from him; hee was despised, and wee esteemed him not.
ref: 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Isaiah 53:3:
text: Before a Man can be in any capacity to ſpeak on any ſubject, 'tis neceſsary to be acquainted with it: Or elſe 'tis as fooliſh to ſet him to diſcourſe on it, as to ſet a blind Man to talk of Colours, or a deaf man of Muſick.
ref: 1693, [John Locke], “§162”, in Some Thoughts Concerning Education, London: […] A[wnsham] and J[ohn] Churchill, […], →OCLC, page 203:
glosses: To furnish or give experimental knowledge of; to make (one) know; to make familiar.
raw_tags: followed by with
examples: text: Acquaint her here, of my Sonne Paris Loue,
ref: c. 1591–1595 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Romeo and Ivliet”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene iv], page 68, column 2:
text: I muſt acquaint you, that I haue recciu'd
New-dated Letters from Northumberland:
ref: c. 1596–1599 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Second Part of Henry the Fourth, […]. Epilogue.”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene i], page 91, column 1:
text: I had almoſt forgotten to acquaint your honor, that one major Alford (who was in mr. Love's conſpiracy) was of the graund inqueſt at Saliſbury, and was very zealous in his highneſſe ſervice here, and his good affection and wiſe carriage here, did much advantage the buſſineſe.
ref: 1655 April 21, “Mr. Ja. Nutley to ſecreary Thurloe.”, in A Collection of the State Papers of John Thurloe, Eſq; […], volume III, London: […] the Executor of the late Mr. Fletcher Gyles; Thomas Woodward, […] Charles Davis, […], published 1742, page 399:
text: He went directly, sign'd the indentures, was put into the ship, and came over, never writing a line to acquaint his friends what was become of him.
ref: 1771–1790, Benjamin Franklin, “The Autobiography [Part 1]”, in John Bigelow, editor, Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin. […], Philadelphia, Pa.: J[oshua] B[allinger] Lippincott & Co., published 1868, →OCLC, page 159:
glosses: To communicate notice to; to inform; let know.
raw_tags: followed by of or that
examples: October 2 1642, Isaac Basire, letter to John Evelyn
What success it may further have I shall acquaint you at my coming over
glosses: To familiarize; to accustom.
Synonyms: sense: to make familiar
word: familiarize
sense: to communicate notice to
word: advise
word: apprise
word: inform
sense: habituate, inure
word: to familiarize
sense: habituate, inure
word: to accustom
Derived terms: acquaintant
disacquaint
foreacquaint
preacquaint
reacquaint
unacquaint