/ ˈkɒntækt; NAmE ˈkɑːn-/ noun , verb
■ noun
ACT OF COMMUNICATING
1.
[ U ] contact (with sb) | contact (between A and B) the act of communicating with sb, especially regularly :
I don't have much contact with my uncle.
There is little contact between the two organizations.
Have you kept in contact with any of your friends from college (= do you still see them or speak or write to them) ?
She's lost contact with (= no longer sees or writes to) her son.
I finally made contact with (= succeeded in speaking to or meeting) her in Paris.
The organization put me in contact with other people in a similar position (= gave me their addresses or telephone numbers) .
two people avoiding eye contact (= avoiding looking directly at each other)
Here's my contact number (= temporary telephone number) while I'm away.
TOUCHING SB / STH
2.
[ U ] the state of touching sth :
His fingers were briefly in contact with the ball.
This substance should not come into contact with food.
a fear of physical contact
This pesticide kills insects on contact (= as soon as it touches them) .
MEETING SB / STH
3.
[ U ] the state of meeting sb or having to deal with sth :
In her job she often comes into contact with (= meets) lawyers.
Children should be brought into contact with poetry at an early age.
RELATIONSHIP
4.
[ C , usually pl. ] an occasion on which you meet or communicate with sb; a relationship with sb :
We have good contacts with the local community.
The company has maintained trade contacts with India.
PERSON
5.
[ C ] a person that you know, especially sb who can be helpful to you in your work :
social / personal contacts
I've made some useful contacts in journalism.
ELECTRICAL
6.
[ C ] an electrical connection :
The switches close the contacts and complete the circuit.
FOR EYES
7.
contacts [ pl. ] ( informal ) = contact lenses
MEDICAL
8.
[ C ] a person who may be infectious because he or she has recently been near to sb with a contagious disease
•
IDIOMS
see point noun
■ verb
[ vn ] to communicate with sb, for example by telephone or letter :
I've been trying to contact you all day.
••
WORD ORIGIN
early 17th cent.: from Latin contactus , from contact- touched, grasped, bordered on, from the verb contingere , from con- together with + tangere to touch.