What does "meet" mean?

1. (to see someone) to come together with someone at a specific place or time. 2. (to be introduced) to see and speak to someone for the first time. 3. (to satisfy a need) to fulfill a requirement, a need, or a condition. 4. (to touch or join) to touch or join together at a certain point. 5. (sports competition) a sports competition, especially for running or swimming. 6. (proper or suitable) right or suitable for a situation.

How do you use "meet"?

Often used without an object when referring to a group coming together. Commonly used in the passive voice during introductions. Commonly collocates with 'needs', 'requirements', 'deadlines', or 'standards'. Intransitive when describing where two lines or roads join. Almost exclusively found in religious texts or older literature.

Is it correct to say "I will meet with you at the station."?

No — say "I will meet you at the station.". In most contexts, 'meet' is transitive and does not need 'with'. Use 'meet with' only for formal discussions or scheduled business appointments.

meet

v. · n. · adj.

US //ˈmit// UK //mˈiːt// meet

Irregular verb past met past participle met

1 to see someone (v.)
A1 Beginner

to come together with someone at a specific place or time.

to come into the presence of or join someone by arrangement or accident.

Example

Let's meet outside the cinema at seven o'clock tonight.

Example

The delegates agreed to meet in a neutral location to ensure that the negotiations could proceed without external pressure.

Usage

Often used without an object when referring to a group coming together.
- leave
- part
Pitfall

I will meet with you at the station.

I will meet you at the station.

In most contexts, 'meet' is transitive and does not need 'with'. Use 'meet with' only for formal discussions or scheduled business appointments.
2 to be introduced (v.)
A1 Beginner

to see and speak to someone for the first time.

to be introduced to someone or to make the acquaintance of another person.

Example

I am very pleased to meet you after hearing so much about your work.

Example

It was during the international conference in Berlin that she first met the researcher who would eventually become her long-term collaborator.

Usage

Commonly used in the passive voice during introductions.
- get to know

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3 to satisfy a need (v.)
B1 Intermediate

to fulfill a requirement, a need, or a condition.

to satisfy or comply with a standard, requirement, or expectation.

Example

The new product must meet all safety standards before it can be sold.

Example

The applicant failed to meet the rigorous criteria established by the admissions board, despite having significant professional experience in the field.

Usage

Commonly collocates with 'needs', 'requirements', 'deadlines', or 'standards'.
- fail
- miss
4 to touch or join (v.)
B1 Intermediate

to touch or join together at a certain point.

to come into physical contact or to intersect at a specific point.

Example

This is the point where the two rivers meet and flow into the sea.

Example

The two mountain ranges meet at a narrow pass that has served as a vital trade route for centuries.

Usage

Intransitive when describing where two lines or roads join.
- diverge
- separate
5 sports competition (n.)
B1 Intermediate American English Sport

a sports competition, especially for running or swimming.

a scheduled athletic competition or gathering, typically for track and field or swimming.

Example

She won two gold medals at the regional track meet last weekend.

Example

The annual swim meet attracted competitors from across the state, resulting in several new records being established in the butterfly events.

Teacher's tip

In British English, 'meeting' is more common for athletics, while 'meet' is often associated specifically with swimming or hunting.
6 proper or suitable (adj.)
C2 Proficiency Archaic Literary

right or suitable for a situation.

fitting, proper, or appropriate for a specific occasion or person.

Example

It is meet and right that we should celebrate this victory together.

Example

The king deemed it meet to reward his loyal subjects with a grand feast following the successful harvest.

Usage

Almost exclusively found in religious texts or older literature.

Teacher's tip

Modern learners should avoid using this as an adjective in speech; it will sound like a mistake for 'meat' or 'meet' (verb).
- unsuitable
- improper

Etymology 1

From Middle English meten, from Old English mētan (“to meet, find, encounter”), from Proto-West Germanic mōtijan (“to meet”), from Proto-Germanic mōtijaną (“to meet”), from Proto-Indo-European *meh₂d- (“to come, meet”). Cognates Cognate with Scots met, mete, meit (“to meet”), North Frisian meet, mätje, möt (“to meet”), West Frisian mette, moetsje (“to meet”), Dutch ontmoeten (“to meet”), Low German möten (“to meet”), Danish møde (“to meet”), Elfdalian my̨öt (“to meet”), Faroese møta (“to meet”), Icelandic mæta (“to meet”), Norwegian Bokmål møte (“to meet”), Norwegian Nynorsk møta, møte (“to meet”), Swedish möta (“to meet”). Related to moot.

Etymology 2

From Middle English mete, imete, from Old English ġemǣte (“suitable, having the same measurements”), from the Proto-Germanic gamētijaz, mētiz (“reasonable; estimable”) (cognate with Dutch meten (“measure”), German gemäß (“suitable”) etc.), itself from collective prefix ga- + Proto-Indo-European med- (“to measure”).

Idioms6 entries