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Wiktionary

acquaint

English

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Etymology

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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.

Pronunciation

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Verb

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acquaint (third-person singular simple present acquaints, present participle acquainting, simple past and past participle acquainted)

  1. (transitive, followed by with) To furnish or give experimental knowledge of; to make (one) know; to make familiar.
    I think you should acquaint him with the realities of the situation.
  2. (transitive, archaic, followed by of or that) To communicate notice to; to inform; let know.
    • 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:
      Acquaint her here, of my Sonne Paris Loue,
    • c. 1596–1599 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Second Part of Henry the Fourth, […]”, 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:
      I muſt acquaint you, that I haue recciu'd
      New-dated Letters from Northumberland:
    • 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:
      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.
    • 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:
      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.
  3. (transitive, obsolete) To familiarize; to accustom.
    • October 2 1642, Isaac Basire, letter to John Evelyn
      What success it may further have I shall acquaint you at my coming over

Synonyms

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Derived terms

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Translations

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Adjective

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acquaint (not comparable)

  1. (now chiefly Scotland) Acquainted. [from 14th c.]
    • 1992, Alasdair Gray, Poor Things, Bloomsbury, published 2002, page 317:
      [I]f you have skimmed through even a paragraph of my poor neglected little magnum opus you will know I am unusually acquaint with my inner workings.
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References

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Scots

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Adjective

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acquaint

  1. Alternative form of acquant

References

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