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Acquaintance vs Beau - What's the difference?

acquaintance | beau | Related terms |

Acquaintance is a related term of beau.


As a noun acquaintance

is (uncountable) 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 a proper noun beau is

(male) used since mid-twentieth century.

acquaintance

English

(Webster 1913)

Alternative forms

* acquaintaunce

Noun

(en noun)
  • (uncountable) 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
    • I know of the man; but have no acquaintance with him.
  • * 1799 , '', in ''The Works , Volume 6, page 22:
    • Contract no friend?hip, or even acquaintance , with a guileful man : he re?embles a coal, which when hot burneth the hand, and when cold blacketh it.
  • (countable) A person or persons with whom one is acquainted.
  • * 1848 , , Chapter XVI:
    • Montgomery was an old acquaintance of Ferguson.

    Usage notes

    * Synonym notes: The words acquaintance , familiarity, and intimacy 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.

    Synonyms

    * familiarity, fellowship, intimacy, knowledge * See also

    Derived terms

    * nodding acquaintance

    Related terms

    * acquaint

    References

    * *

    beau

    English

    Noun

    (en-noun)
  • (dated) A man with a reputation for fine dress and etiquette; a dandy or fop.
  • * 1811 , Jane Austen, Sense and Sensibility , chapter 21
    • “I do not comprehend the meaning of the word. But this I can say, that if he ever was a beau before he married, he is one still, for there is not the smallest alteration in him.”
    “Oh! dear! one never thinks of married mens’(SIC) being beaux —they have something else to do.”
  • (dated) A male lover; a boyfriend.
  • * 1917 , Kate Douglas Wiggin, Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm , p. 142:
    • Hannah's beau takes all her time 'n' thought, and when she gits a husband her mother'll be out o' sight and out o' mind.
  • * 2009 , Philippa Bourke, Monsters and Critics [http://www.monstersandcritics.com/people/news/article_1518335.php/Kristin-Davis-takes-cover-on-beach-with-beau#ixzz0ZRsqa5SS], Dec 10, 2009:
    • Kristin Davis has taken time out to enjoy the surf and sand with her Australian beau , photographer Russell James.
  • A male escort.

    • See also

    * beau- * beautiful * Beau

    References

    * English nouns with irregular plurals ----