contact
contact — noun
1. Communication between people achieved by talking, writing, or sending messages t
Communication between people achieved by talking, writing, or sending messages to one another, especially on a regular basis.
Léa keeps in regular contact with her former colleagues after leaving the company.
collocation: stay in regular contact
The rescue team lost contact with the hikers when their phone batteries died.
collocation: lose contact with someone
We try to maintain close contact with all our overseas partners through video calls.
After years without any contact, Samir received a surprise letter from his childhood friend.
Good customer contact is essential for any business that wants to keep its clients happy.
- communication
broader; includes any exchange of information, not necessarily regular
- connection
can imply emotional or social ties beyond just messaging
- touch
informal; mostly used in phrases like 'get in touch' or 'keep in touch'
- isolation
state of having no communication with others
用法筆記
Uncountable in this sense — you do not say 'a contact' when referring to communication (compare with sense 3, where 'a contact' means a person).
常見錯誤
2. A situation in which two people or objects are touching one another, or the act
A situation in which two people or objects are touching one another, or the act of coming close enough to touch.
The doctor warned that direct contact with the rash could spread the infection.
collocation: direct contact with [something]
Make sure the two metal wires do not come into contact with each other.
pattern: come into contact with
Children learn about the world through physical contact with objects around them.
Eri felt the cold contact of the stone floor against her bare feet.
- separation
state of being apart or not touching
用法筆記
Often used in scientific or medical contexts (e.g. 'contact dermatitis', 'contact transmission') to specify direct physical touching rather than airborne or fluid-borne routes.
常見錯誤
3. A person you know, especially one in a position of influence, who can provide us
A person you know, especially one in a position of influence, who can provide useful information, advice, or introductions for professional or social purposes.
Christopher used his contacts in the publishing industry to get his manuscript reviewed.
collocation: contacts in [industry/field]
If you need a lawyer, I can give you a contact who handles property law.
A wide network of contacts is one of the best ways to advance your career.
Her contact at the newspaper helped get the story published ahead of schedule.
- connection
nearly identical in meaning; 'connection' can feel slightly more informal
- acquaintance
implies less usefulness or influence; just someone you know
用法筆記
Countable in this sense — 'a contact' refers to one person, and 'contacts' refers to several people in your professional or social network. Contrast with sense 1, where the word is uncountable.
常見錯誤
4. The set of individuals whose phone numbers, email addresses, and other details y
The set of individuals whose phone numbers, email addresses, and other details you keep stored on your phone or computer so you can reach them easily.
Felix searched through his contacts for a plumber who could fix the leak.
Madison lost all her contacts when her old phone broke without a backup.
Hoa added the new supplier's details to her contacts straight after the meeting.
Eitan scrolled through his contacts to find someone who spoke Japanese.
- address book
refers to the list itself rather than the names within it
用法筆記
Typically used in the plural ('my contacts') to refer to the collection of saved people. Singular ('a contact') in this sense refers to one entry in the list.
常見錯誤
5. The section or application on a mobile phone, computer, or other device where yo
The section or application on a mobile phone, computer, or other device where you store and organise the names, numbers, and addresses of people you know.
You can save a new phone number directly from the call log into your contacts.
The app automatically syncs your contacts across all your devices.
collocation: sync contacts
Paloma organised her contacts into groups for work, family, and friends.
Daichi exported his contacts from his old phone and imported them into the new one.
- address book
the traditional name; 'contacts' is the modern digital term
用法筆記
In digital contexts, 'contacts' can refer either to the people stored (sense 4) or to the app/database where they are kept (this sense). The distinction is subtle and often interchangeable in casual use.
6. A metal part in an electrical circuit that lets electricity pass through once it
A metal part in an electrical circuit that lets electricity pass through once it meets a matching conductive piece, or the junction where two such conductors join.
The lamp stopped working because the contact inside the switch had worn out.
Dirty contacts in the battery compartment can prevent a device from turning on.
collocation: dirty contacts
The electrician cleaned the relay contacts with a special solution to restore the connection.
When the two copper contacts touch, the circuit closes and the bell rings.
用法筆記
Frequently appears in compound form — 'electrical contact', 'switch contact', 'relay contact'. A 'contact' in this sense is a physical part, not just an abstract connection.
7. A thin curved piece of plastic that sits on the front of the eyeball to help a p
A thin curved piece of plastic that sits on the front of the eyeball to help a person see more clearly; a short form of 'contact lens'.
Zayd prefers wearing contacts over glasses when he plays basketball.
collocation: wear contacts
Jisoo carefully cleaned her contacts before putting them in her eyes.
The optician showed Imani how to store her contact lenses safely overnight.
Linh accidentally slept in her contacts and woke up with very dry eyes.
- contact lens
the full form, slightly more formal or medical in tone
- glasses
the alternative vision aid worn on the face rather than on the eye
用法筆記
Almost always used in the plural ('contacts' or 'contact lenses') because they are worn as a pair. The singular 'a contact' is possible but less common than 'a contact lens'.
常見錯誤
8. A photographic print created by placing a film negative directly onto light-sens
A photographic print created by placing a film negative directly onto light-sensitive paper and exposing it to light, producing an image the same size as the negative.
The photographer made a contact print to check the exposure of each negative.
collocation: make a contact print
Old contact prints from the 1970s were stored in a box in the archive.
In the darkroom, Jason placed negatives onto paper to create a contact print.
Élise examined the contact print under a bright lamp to check every detail.
- proof sheet
a sheet of small contact prints used for selecting which images to enlarge
用法筆記
Traditional (film) photography only; the term is not used with digital photography. A contact print differs from an enlarged print, which uses a projector to magnify the negative.
contact — verb
1. To send a message, call, or otherwise reach someone, especially to give or ask f
To send a message, call, or otherwise reach someone, especially to give or ask for information.
Please contact the hotel directly to confirm your reservation.
contact + [organisation] directly
The school will contact parents if a child shows signs of illness.
Michael tried to contact the airline but the phone lines were busy.
If you have any questions about the product, please contact our support team.
Élise contacted the landlord about the broken heating system in her flat.
- reach
slightly more informal; often used when the method is unclear or unspecified
- get in touch with
more common in everyday conversation; less formal than 'contact'
- call
specific to telephone communication; more precise but narrower in meaning
- email
specific to written electronic communication; also narrower
文法句型
contact + person/organisation
contact + person + about + noun
用法筆記
Transitive verb — 'contact someone' (no preposition). 'Contact with someone' is a common learner error. In casual speech, alternatives like 'call', 'email', or 'get in touch with' are often used instead.
常見錯誤
2. To come or be close enough to touch something, especially by accident or as part
To come or be close enough to touch something, especially by accident or as part of a physical process.
The rear bumper of the car just contacted the wall as he parked.
Make sure the raw meat does not contact other food in the fridge.
The probe contacted the surface of the asteroid and collected a soil sample.
His shoulder lightly contacted the doorframe as he walked through.
文法句型
contact + object
用法筆記
This sense is less common than the communication sense of the verb. In everyday English, 'touch' is preferred; 'contact' as a verb meaning 'touch' sounds technical or mechanical.
常見錯誤
contact — adjective
1. Relating to or resulting from direct physical touching, especially used to descr
Relating to or resulting from direct physical touching, especially used to describe sports, skin conditions, or other situations where people or objects meet physically.
Contact dermatitis is a skin rash caused by touching a substance that irritates the skin.
compound: contact dermatitis
Contact sports such as rugby and wrestling carry a higher risk of injury.
compound: contact sports
The doctor prescribed a cream for the contact allergy that appeared on her hands.
The manufacturer added a warning label about contact hazards for workers with sensitive skin.
用法筆記
Primarily used as a modifier before nouns in fixed phrases ('contact sport', 'contact dermatitis', 'contact allergy'). It rarely stands alone as a predicate adjective.