intimate

10 definitions • 12 examples

having, or being likely to cause, a very close friendship or personal or sexual relationship:

intimate relationships

intimate atmosphere The restaurant has a very intimate atmosphere.

intimate with He's become very intimate with an actress.

(of knowledge or understanding) detailed, and obtained from a lot of studying or experience:

intimate knowledge She has intimate knowledge of Tuscany, where she has lived for 20 years.

a friend you know very well:

Intimates of the star say that he has been upset by the personal attacks on him that have appeared in the press recently.

to make clear what you think or want without saying it directly:

[ + (that) ] She has intimated that she will resign if she loses the vote.

being a close, personal friend, or having a close, personal relationship:

an intimate friend

An intimate relationship can also refer to a romantic relationship:

They had been good friends, but they had never in any way been intimate.

Intimate can also mean private and personal:

She refused to discuss the intimate details of her life.

expert and detailed:

an intimate knowledge of cattle farming

a close friend:

George was never one of the president’s intimates.

to suggest that something will happen or is true, without saying so directly:

[ + that clause ] He intimated that they had thought about getting married.