a prior acquaintance

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a prior acquaintance" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when referring to someone you have met or known before, often in a context where the relationship is relevant to the current situation. Example: "I was surprised to see her at the event, as we had a prior acquaintance from our college days."

✓ Grammatically correct

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

60 human-written examples

Holland came to his work on Islam unencumbered by any prior acquaintance with its fundamental texts or the scholarly literature.

The Guardian - Books

It is a process that we, unlike other animals, are able to engage in it, because our souls include a rational element that has prior acquaintance with forms: "a soul that never [prenatally] saw what is true cannot take a human shape, since a human being must understand what is said by relation to a form that is reached from many sense-perceptions being collected into one by reasoning" (249b5-c1).

SEP

Based on our study, we conclude that if there is no prior acquaintance with a certain package and preference is given to a frequentist approach, the following packages are to be recommended: MLwiN ([R]IGLS), the R package lme4 and the SAS procedure GLIMMIX.

BMC Medical Research Methodology

Yale seemed like an ideal home for his holdings, Mr. Taussig said, because of the reputation of its law school, its commitment to keeping the collection intact and his prior acquaintance with Mike Widener, a rare-book specialist at the law library who helped arrange the deal.

The New York Times - Books

Traditionally, an officer who identified someone in court had to demonstrate prior acquaintance with the individual.

The New Yorker

The Health in Men (HIM) study has shown that prior acquaintance with casual partners is associated with perceived knowledge of a partner's serostatus and a decreased likelihood to use condoms, and being more intimately acquainted with someone appears to be an important consideration in decisions about condom use [ 15].

AIDS and Behavior

Nonetheless, enjoying this production to its fullest requires prior acquaintance with the play.

The Guardian

Prior acquaintance with the pair isn't essential as Rowling reintroduces the "surly-looking ex-soldier" with "pube-like" hair, a "boxer's nose" and large appetite.

Independent

The reader with prior acquaintance with the literature of linguistics will notice that we have not made reference to any partitioning of linguists into two camps called 'empiricists' and 'rationalists' (see e.g. Matthews 1984, Cowie 1999).

SEP

Turing suggests that the most likely ground lies in our prior acquaintance with machines of all kinds: none of the machines that any of us has hitherto encountered has been able to do these things.

SEP

In De Magistro, for example, Augustine argues that the efficacy of language is ultimately dependent upon direct acquaintance with the external world, and even our ability to learn from others presupposes that what they tell us can be reduced to elements with which one has had some prior acquaintance [De Magistro 11.37].

SEP

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "a prior acquaintance" to clearly indicate that two individuals have met or known each other at some point in the past, which is relevant to the current context. This is especially useful in legal, academic, or formal settings.

Common error

Avoid using "prior" when you mean "superior" or "more important". "Prior" refers to time, whereas "superior" refers to quality or rank. Using "a superior acquaintance" in place of "a prior acquaintance" would be incorrect.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a prior acquaintance" functions as a noun phrase, typically serving as the object of a preposition or a complement to a verb. It identifies a person known previously. Ludwig confirms that this is a correct and usable phrase.

Expression frequency: Missing

Frequent in

Science

0%

News & Media

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Science

0%

News & Media

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "a prior acquaintance" is a grammatically sound phrase used to denote a pre-existing relationship between individuals. While Ludwig confirms its correctness, it is not very frequent. Its function is to provide context or explain connections in scenarios, particularly those with legal, academic, or formal implications. Alternatives such as "a previous acquaintance" or "an earlier acquaintance" can be used interchangeably, although the nuance might differ subtly. Understanding the correct use and avoiding confusion with similar-sounding words is essential for clear communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

A previous acquaintance

Replaces "prior" with "previous", maintaining the same meaning but with a slightly different emphasis on the timeline.

An earlier acquaintance

Substitutes "prior" with "earlier", focusing on the temporal aspect of the acquaintance.

A former acquaintance

Replaces "prior" with "former", implying that the acquaintance may no longer be active or current.

A pre-existing relationship

Shifts the focus from the act of being acquainted to the state of having a relationship beforehand.

A past association

Uses "association" instead of "acquaintance", suggesting a potentially broader or more formal connection.

Someone I knew before

A more informal and direct way of expressing the same idea.

A familiar face

Focuses on recognizing the person from a previous encounter, rather than the nature of the relationship.

Someone I've met before

Emphasizes the act of meeting previously, highlighting recognition.

A person known from the past

A more descriptive and slightly more formal alternative.

A pre-established connection

Highlights the existence of a connection that was already in place.

FAQs

How can I use "a prior acquaintance" in a sentence?

You can use "a prior acquaintance" to indicate a previous relationship. For example, "The witness was excused because he had "a prior acquaintance" with the defendant."

What's the difference between "a prior acquaintance" and "a previous acquaintance"?

"A prior acquaintance" and "a previous acquaintance" are very similar. "Prior" tends to be slightly more formal, but both convey the idea of a relationship established in the past.

Is it correct to say "an prior acquaintance"?

No, it is not correct. You should use "a prior acquaintance" because "prior" starts with a consonant sound.

What are some situations where "a prior acquaintance" might be relevant?

"A prior acquaintance" can be relevant in legal proceedings, business dealings, or social situations where the history between two individuals may influence current events or decisions.