Looking up...
A person you have met before but do not currently know well or have not seen for a long time.
She greeted her old acquaintance warmly at the reunion.
She greeted a person she had known in the past but hadn't seen recently.
He recognized an old acquaintance from his college days.
He recognized someone he had known during his time in college.
The phrase emphasizes the past relationship rather than current familiarity.
'Old acquaintance' implies a weaker or less current relationship than 'old friend.' Use 'old friend' for someone you remain close to despite the passage of time.
This phrase is appropriate when referring to someone you knew in the past but have not seen or interacted with recently.
The phrase combines 'old' (from Old English 'eald,' meaning long-standing) and 'acquaintance' (from Old French 'acointance,' meaning familiarity or knowledge). The term has been used in English since the 17th century to describe people known in the past.
Use 'old acquaintance' to refer to someone you knew previously but haven't maintained contact with. It is more formal than 'old friend' and suggests a weaker or less current relationship.