acquaintance

noun

1. (uncountable)A state of being acquainted with a person; originally indicating friendship, intimacy, but now suggesting a slight knowledge less deep than that of friendship; acquaintanceship.

   “I know of the man; but have no acquaintance with him.”

   “Contract no friendſhip, or even acquaintance, with a guileful man : he reſembles a coal, which when hot burneth the hand, and when cold blacketh it.”

2. (countable)A person or persons with whom one is acquainted.

   “Montgomery was an old acquaintance of Ferguson.”

3. (uncountable)Such people collectively; one's circle of acquaintances (with plural concord).

   “Having therefore conſulted with my Wife, and ſome of my Acquaintance, I determined to go again to Sea.”

   “Their mother […] was busy in the mean time in keeping up her connections, as she termed a numerous acquaintance, lest her girls should want a proper introduction into the great world.”

4. (countable, uncountable)Personal knowledge (with a specific subject etc.).

   “The words of these songs were either without meaning, or derived from an idiom with which Watt, a very fair linguist, had no acquaintance.”