com|mu|ni|cate

com|mu|ni|cate «kuh MYOO nuh kayt», verb, -cat|ed, -cat|ing.

–v.t.

1. to give (information or news) by speaking or writing; write, telephone, telegraph, etc.: »

I asked your sister to communicate my wishes to you. The discovery he made and communicated with his friends (Jonathan Swift).

2. to pass along; transfer; transmit: »

The stove communicated heat to the room. The boy communicated his cold to his classmates.

3. to administer Holy Communion to.

–v.i.

1. to give information or news by speaking or writing; send and receive messages; talk, telephone, telegraph, etc.: »

We have yet to communicate with the inhabitants of another planet. Deaf people communicate by sign language.

2. to exchange ideas or thoughts: »

A good teacher communicates with his class.

3. to be connected: »

The dining room communicates with the kitchen.

4. to receive Holy Communion.

5. Obsolete. to take part; participate.

╂[< Latin commūnicāre (with English -ate¹) < commūnis; see etym. under common (Cf. ↑common)]

–com|mu´ni|ca´tor, noun.

Synonym Study transitive verb. 1, 2 Communicate, impart mean to pass something along. Communicate suggests merely that it becomes the common property of giver and receiver: »

He has not communicated his wishes to me.

Impart emphasizes giving to another a share of what one has: »

A teacher imparts knowledge to his students.