MEET

v. & n. --v. (past and past part. met) 1 a tr. encounter (a person or persons) by accident or design; come face to face with. b intr. (of two or more people) come into each other's company by accident or design (decided to meet on the bridge). 2 tr. go to a place to be present at the arrival of (a person, train, etc.). 3 a tr. (of a moving object, line, feature of landscape, etc.) come together or into contact with (where the road meets the flyover). b intr. come together or into contact (where the sea and the sky meet). 4 a tr. make the acquaintance of (delighted to meet you). b intr. (of two or more people) make each other's acquaintance. 5 intr. & tr. come together or come into contact with for the purposes of conference, business, worship, etc. (the committee meets every week; the union met management yesterday). 6 tr. a (of a person or a group) deal with or answer (a demand, objection, etc.) (met the original proposal with hostility). b satisfy or conform with (proposals, deadlines, a person, etc.) (agreed to meet the new terms; did my best to meet them on that point). 7 tr. pay (a bill etc.); provide the funds required by (a cheque etc.) (meet the cost of the move). 8 tr. & (foll. by with) intr. experience, encounter, or receive (success, disaster, a difficulty, etc.) (met their death; met with many problems). 9 tr. oppose in battle, contest, or confrontation. 10 intr. (of clothes, curtains, etc.) join or fasten correctly (my jacket won't meet). --n. 1 the assembly of riders and hounds for a hunt. 2 the assembly of competitors for various sporting activities, esp. athletics. ømake ends meet see END. meet the case be adequate. meet the eye (or the ear) be visible (or audible). meet a person's eye check if another person is watching and look into his or her eyes in return. meet a person half way make a compromise, respond in a friendly way to the advances of another person. meet up colloq. happen to meet. meet with 1 see sense 8 of v. 2 receive (a reaction) (met with the committee's approval). 3 esp. US = sense 1a of v. more in it than meets the eye hidden qualities or complications. øømeeter n. [OE metan f. Gmc: cf. MOOT]