meet
A1Neutral (used across all registers)
Definition
Meaning
To come into the presence or company of (a person) by chance or arrangement.
To come together or into contact with; to make the acquaintance of; to experience or face something (e.g., a need, a standard, an opponent); to converge.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The core physical sense of 'encountering' extends metaphorically to abstract concepts like fulfilling criteria ('meet a deadline') or encountering experiences ('meet one's fate').
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Usage is largely identical. Spelling of the past tense ('met') and participles is the same.
Connotations
No significant difference in connotation.
Frequency
Equally high frequency in both varieties.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[NP] meet [NP] (transitive)[NP] meet with [NP] (intransitive, US for 'have a meeting')[NP] meet (intransitive, e.g., 'Where shall we meet?')Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “meet someone halfway”
- “make ends meet”
- “meet one's match”
- “meet the eye”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
'We need to meet our quarterly targets.' Used for deadlines, objectives, and formal appointments.
Academic
'The data must meet the required threshold for significance.' Used for criteria, standards, and definitions.
Everyday
'Let's meet at the park at six.' Used for social arrangements and casual encounters.
Technical
'The two surfaces meet at a 90-degree angle.' Used in mathematics, engineering, etc., to describe convergence.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- We agreed to meet at the pub after work.
- The proposal did not meet the council's strict regulations.
- The path meets the road just beyond the gate.
American English
- Let's meet for lunch downtown tomorrow.
- The product must meet all federal safety standards.
- His eyes met hers across the crowded room.
adjective
British English
- It is meet and right to give thanks. (archaic/formal)
American English
- It is meet that we honour our ancestors. (archaic/formal)
Examples
By CEFR Level
- I will meet my friend after school.
- Nice to meet you!
- We need to meet the deadline for this project.
- I sometimes meet my colleagues for coffee.
- The new design fails to meet the essential criteria for usability.
- Their efforts were finally met with widespread approval.
- The two rival factions agreed to meet for clandestine negotiations.
- His ambitious plans were met with a mixture of scepticism and intrigue.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of the double 'e' in 'meet' as two people facing each other.
Conceptual Metaphor
LIFE IS A JOURNEY (e.g., 'paths meet'); SATISFACTION IS FULFILLING A CONTAINER (e.g., 'meet a need').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse 'meet' (знакомиться/встречать) with 'meat' (мясо).
- The phrase 'meet with' in American English means 'to have a formal meeting with', not simply 'встретиться с' casually.
Common Mistakes
- Incorrect: 'I meet him yesterday.' Correct: 'I met him yesterday.' (wrong tense)
- Incorrect: 'We met with an old friend.' (This is acceptable in AmE but can sound overly formal in BrE for a social meeting.)
Practice
Quiz
In which sentence is 'meet' used in a primarily abstract or metaphorical sense?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Meet' is standard for social encounters (BrE & AmE). 'Meet with' is common in American English for formal meetings or discussions (e.g., 'meet with the board'). In British English, 'meet with' often means 'experience' (e.g., 'meet with an accident').
Yes. The principal parts are: meet (base) – met (past simple) – met (past participle).
Yes, primarily in the context of a sports event or gathering (e.g., 'a track meet', 'a singing meet'). This is more common in American English.
It is an idiom meaning to have just enough money to pay for your basic living expenses.
Collections
Part of a collection
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