acquaintance \acquaint"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.
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   2. a person or persons with whom one is acquainted.
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            montgomery was an old acquaintance of ferguson.
                                                  --macaulay.
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   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.
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   to be of acquaintance, to be intimate.

   to take acquaintance of or with, to make the acquaintance
      of. obs.
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   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.
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                our admiration of a famous man lessens upon our
                nearer acquaintance with him.     --addison.
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                we contract at last such a familiarity with them
                as makes it difficult and irksome for us to call
                off our minds.                    --atterbury.
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                it is in our power to confine our friendships
                and intimacies to men of virtue.  --rogers.
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see also:
acquaint to be of acquaintance to take acquaintance of with acquaintance familiarity 
intimacy