To take acquaintance of

Acquaintance Ac*quaint"ance, n. [OE. aqueintance, OF. acointance, fr. acointier. See {Acquaint}.] 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. [1913 Webster]

Contract no friendship, or even acquaintance, with a guileful man. --Sir W. Jones. [1913 Webster]

2. A person or persons with whom one is acquainted. [1913 Webster]

Montgomery was an old acquaintance of Ferguson. --Macaulay. [1913 Webster]

Note: In this sense the collective term acquaintance was formerly both singular and plural, but it is now commonly singular, and has the regular plural acquaintances. [1913 Webster]

{To be of acquaintance}, to be intimate.

{To take acquaintance of} or {with}, to make the acquaintance of. [Obs.] [1913 Webster]

Syn: Familiarity; intimacy; fellowship; knowledge.

Usage: {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. [1913 Webster]

Our admiration of a famous man lessens upon our nearer acquaintance with him. --Addison. [1913 Webster]

We contract at last such a familiarity with them as makes it difficult and irksome for us to call off our minds. --Atterbury. [1913 Webster]

It is in our power to confine our friendships and intimacies to men of virtue. --Rogers. [1913 Webster]