Communicate
Pronunciation
- UK IPA: /kəˈmjuËnɪkeɪt/
- US IPA: /kəˈmjunəkeɪt/
Origin
Borrowing from la commÅ«nicÄtus, perfect passive participle of commÅ«nicÅ ("share, impart; make common"), from commÅ«nis ("common").
Full definition of communicate
Verb
- To impart
- (transitive) To impart or transmit (information or knowledge) to someone; to make known, to tell. from 16th c.It is vital that I communicate this information to you.
- (transitive) To impart or transmit (an intangible quantity, substance); to give a share of. from 16th c.to communicate motion by means of a crank
- Jeremy TaylorWhere God is worshipped, there he communicates his blessings and holy influences.
- (transitive) To pass on (a disease) to another person, animal etc. from 17th c.The disease was mainly communicated via rats and other vermin.
- To share
- (transitive, obsolete) To share (in); to have in common, to partake of. 16th-19th c.We shall now consider those functions of intelligence which man communicates with the higher beasts.
- Ben Jonsonthousands that communicate our loss
- (intransitive, Christianity) To receive the bread and wine at a celebration of the Eucharist; to take part in Holy Communion. from 16th c.
- 1971, Keith Thomas, Religion and the Decline of Magic, Folio Society 2012, p. 148:The ‘better sort’ might communicate on a separate day; and in some parishes even the quality of the communion wine varied with the social quality of the recipients.
- (transitive, Christianity) To administer the Holy Communion to (someone). from 16th c.
- Jeremy TaylorShe church ... may communicate him.
- (intransitive) To express or convey ideas, either through verbal or nonverbal means; to have intercourse, to exchange information. from 16th c.Many deaf people communicate with sign language.I feel I hardly know him; I just wish he'd communicate with me a little more.
- (intransitive) To be connected with (another room, vessel etc.) by means of an opening or channel. from 16th c.The living room communicates with the back garden by these French windows.