contact
noun /ˈkɒntakt 
/
/1 [mass noun] The state of physical touching: equipment in contact with water can benefit from rubber lining...
- It is spread by coming in contact with the blood of an infected person.
- I found that my left hand was resting on my own forehead, not quite in contact with it but touching the ends of the fine, raised little hairs standing up on my skin.
- Lice are wingless and they cannot jump, unlike fleas, but instead they spread through physical contact.
Synonyms
touch, touching;
proximity, exposure, contiguity, junction, union, tangency;
association, connection, communication, intercourse, relations, dealings
archaic traffic
1.1 [as modifier] Caused by or operating through physical touch: contact dermatitis...
- Generally, a soil-applied herbicide is applied with or after the contact herbicide.
- The circuit is completed when the contact in the bolt touches the contact area of the primer.
- Turns out the kid has a contact dermatitis from where his thighs are rubbing together.
1.2 (contacts) Contact lenses: she didn’t have her contacts in...
- Today is the first time I have been able to wear my contacts without pain.
- Even so, probably the main reason people choose contacts over glasses is that they don't like how glasses look, or they think no one else likes how glasses look.
- And most people, who depend upon eyeglasses or contacts to see, live with the frustration of stumbling around the rest of their life anytime they're without them.
2 [mass noun] The action of communicating or meeting: she had little contact with family members...
- His family lost contact with him for six nerve-racking hours, before finally getting word that he was safe and well.
- He had lost contact with his family and deteriorated into alcoholism.
- Det Insp Chris Binns said Donna had lost contact with her family and fallen in with the ‘wrong crowd’.
Synonyms
communication, connection, correspondence, touch, association
2.1 [count noun] A meeting, communication, or relationship with someone: they have forged contacts with key people in business...
- They want ministers and civil servants to give annual reports about all meetings or significant contacts with lobbyists, their clients or other special-interest groups.
- As a matter of fact, we are continuing our contacts and meetings.
- This had the additional benefit of keeping communities to a size that allowed face-to-face communication and intimate personal contacts between all members.
2.2 [count noun] A person who may be approached for information or assistance, especially with regard to one’s job: Francesca had good contacts...
- In doing so they may gain information, opportunities, contacts, networks, and assistance.
- A secondary benefit of these contacts is the information you impart regarding your camp mission, programming, and counseling opportunities.
- Rose suspects it happens frequently, that officers use whatever opportunities arise with juveniles to pump contacts for information and ask them to be informers.
Synonyms
connection, acquaintance, associate, liaison, friend
2.3 [count noun] A person who has associated with a patient with a contagious disease (and so may carry the infection): all efforts are made to persuade possible contacts of patients with either disease to attend for investigation...
- Brooks and colleagues also found variability in the number of latent infections among contacts of 21 patients with TB.
- Identification of contacts of patients with infectious TB and treatment of those at risk with an effective drug regimen.
- No healthcare workers in the clinic or close contacts of the patients became infected.
3 [count noun] A connection for the passage of an electric current from one thing to another, or a part or device by which such a connection is made: the sliding contact of the potentiometer...
- Method and apparatus for preparing and metallizing high aspect ratio silicon semiconductor device contacts to reduce the resistivity thereof
- Grounding contacts are disposed adjacent the ball contacts, where the grounding contacts are electrically connected to the ground plane.
- The conductive contact will electrically connect with the diffused region through the landing pad.
verb /ˈkɒntakt / /kənˈtakt / [with object]
/ /kənˈtakt / [with object]1Communicate with (someone), typically in order to give or receive information: anyone with any information should contact Darlington police...
- For more information you can contact any committee member or the phone numbers below.
- The closing date for payment of the same is March 31st and for further information contact any member of the executive.
- For further information please contact any committee member or look in local press.
Synonyms
get in touch with, communicate with, make contact with, approach, reach, notify, be in communication with;
phone, call, ring up, speak to, talk to, write to;
British get on to
informal get hold of, drop a line to
2Touch: I winced as my blister contacted the floor...
- Force your toe to contact the floor just as it is passing your right foot.
- When you contact the floor, immediately sit up into the next rep and toss the ball back to your partner.
- Whenever possible, if you can touch and maintain that contact then go for it.
Derivatives
contactable
/ /kənˈtaktəb(ə)l / adjective ...- They have highly trained and extremely competent medical personnel and are easily contactable and readily available 24 hours a day.
- Colm was equipped with a bleeper which meant that, if at any time a double lung became available, he would be immediately contactable.
- Depending on what spyware my parents have installed on their computer this time I may or may not be posting or contactable until Tuesday.
Origin
Early 17th century: from Latin contactus, from contact- 'touched, grasped, bordered on', from the verb contingere, from con- 'together with' + tangere 'to touch'.
Contact and contagion (Late Middle English) both go back to Latin contingere ‘touched’ formed from con- ‘with’ and tangere ‘touch’. Contaminate (Late Middle English) is related.