Reading Theme:
Contact: Definition, Usage & Key Examples (2 meaning)
Meaning 1：act of communicating (contact)
contact
/ˈkɒn.tækt/
n.
The act of communicating or getting in touch with someone, for example by phone, email, or meeting.
act of communicating
➕
/ækt əv kəˌmjuːnɪˈkeɪtɪŋ/
n.
Refers to the process of getting in touch with someone through various means like phone, email, or in-person meetings.
📘 Details & Usage
📖 Root Explanation
From Latin 'contactus', from 'con-' (together) + 'tangere' (to touch).
💡 Mnemonic
Think 'con' (with) and 'tact' (touch) – contact means connecting or touching.
📖 Example
After graduation, we promised to keep in contact through social media.
After graduation, we pledged to maintain contact using social media platforms.
🔗 Collocations
keep in contact – to maintain communication with someone
lose contact – to stop communicating with someone
contact details – information used to reach someone
🔄 Synonyms
communication (n.) – the exchange of information or ideas
connection (n.) – a link or relationship between people or things
interaction (n.) – the act of communicating or working together
🚫 Antonyms
isolation (n.) – the state of being alone or separated from others
disconnection (n.) – the act of breaking a link or relationship
🌱 Derivatives
contactable (adj.) – able to be reached or contacted
📖 Cultural Story
Derived from Latin 'contactus', meaning 'a touching together'. It entered English in the 17th century and is now pivotal in contexts like business networking and digital communication.
Meaning 2：physical touch or meeting (contact)
contact
/ˈkɒn.tækt/
n.
The state where two things or people touch or meet physically, like hands touching an object or bodies coming together.
physical touch or meeting
➕
/ˈfɪzɪkəl tʌtʃ ɔr ˈmitɪŋ/
n.
Describes the state where two objects or individuals come into direct physical touch with each other.
📘 Details & Usage
📖 Example
The scientist wore gloves to avoid direct contact with the chemical samples.
The researcher used gloves to prevent any direct contact with the hazardous substances.
🔗 Collocations
direct contact – physical touch without any barrier
avoid contact – to stay away from touching something
skin-to-skin contact – touch between bare skin surfaces
🔄 Synonyms
🚫 Antonyms
separation (n.) – the state of being apart or divided
distance (n.) – the amount of space between two points
🌱 Derivatives
contactless (adj.) – without physical contact, as in payment systems
Wordbook
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