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acquaintance

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have a nodding acquaintance (with someone or something)

To have a slight or precursory knowledge of someone or something. Jim asked me to help fix his computer for him, but I'm afraid I only have a nodding acquaintance with how his machine works. Ruth and I had only a nodding acquaintance before going to the party, but once we got talking, it was like we'd been friends our whole lives.

See also: acquaintance, have, nod

(I'm) delighted to make your acquaintance.

Fig. I am very glad to meet you. Tom: My name is Tom. I work in the advertising department. Mary: I'm Mary. I work in accounting. Delighted to make your acquaintance. Tom: Yeah. Good to meet you. Fred: Sue, this is Bob. He'll be working with us on the Wilson project. Sue: I'm delighted to make your acquaintance, Bob. Bob: My pleasure.

See also: acquaintance, delighted, make

nodding acquaintance

Superficial knowledge of someone or something, as in I have a nodding acquaintance with the company president, or She has a nodding acquaintance with that software program. This expression alludes to knowing someone just well enough to nod or bow upon meeting him or her. "Early 1800s]

See also: acquaintance, nod

scrape up an acquaintance

Make an effort to become familiar with someone, especially for one's own benefit. For example, He scraped up an acquaintance with the college president in hopes of getting his son admitted . This term uses scrape in the sense of "gather with difficulty" (also see under scare up). Originally put as scrape acquaintance, it was first recorded in 1600.

See also: acquaintance, scrape, up

make (someone's) acquaintance

To meet someone for the first time: I made his acquaintance at a business conference.

See also: acquaintance, make