meeting

meeting
meet‧ing S1 W1 /ˈmiːtɪŋ/ noun [countable]
1. an event at which people meet to discuss and decide things:
    We’re having a meeting next week to discuss the matter.
    at a meeting
    I’ll raise the matter at the next meeting.
    in a meeting
    She said that Mr Coleby was in a meeting.
    meeting about/on
    There was a public meeting about the future of the gallery.
    meeting with
    I’ve got a meeting with Mr Edwards this afternoon.
    meeting of
    a meeting of senior politicians
    meeting between
    a meeting between unions and management
2. the meeting formal all the people who are at a meeting:
    I’d like to put a few ideas before the meeting.
3. [usually singular] when people meet each other by chance or because they have arranged to do this:
    I had felt drawn to Alice ever since our first meeting.
4. a sports competition or a set of races for horses
5. meeting of minds a situation in which two people have very similar ideas and understand each other very well:
    There was a real meeting of minds between the two leaders.
6. an event at which a group of Quakers (=a Christian religious group) pray together
     

COLLOCATIONS

■ verbs
   ▪ have a meeting I had a long meeting with my manager.
   ▪ hold a meeting formal (=have a meeting) The meetings are usually held on a Friday. 
   ▪ go to a meeting (also attend a meeting formal) All staff members are expected to attend the meeting.
   ▪ call a meeting (also convene a meeting formal) (=arrange a meeting) The board has the power to convene a general meeting if necessary.
   ▪ chair a meeting (also preside over a meeting formal) (=lead it) The meeting was chaired by Professor Jones of the University of York.
   ▪ open a meeting (=begin it) There was disagreement about opening the meeting with a prayer.
   ▪ close a meeting (=end it) He closed the meeting by saying, ‘I think we have made great progress.’
   ▪ address a meeting (=speak to the people at a meeting) A member of Greenpeace addressed the protest meeting.
   ▪ adjourn a meeting (=make it stop for a period of time) This meeting is adjourned until tomorrow.
■ ADJECTIVES/NOUN + meeting
   ▪ a committee/staff/board etc meeting A staff meeting will be held at 3 p.m.
   ▪ an annual meeting (=an important meeting held once a year) the annual meeting of the British Medical Association
   ▪ a monthly/weekly meeting a routine weekly meeting with the managing director
   ▪ a public/open meeting (=that anyone can go to) A public meeting was held to discuss the proposal to build a new school.
   ▪ a general meeting especially British English (=that anyone, or anyone in a particular organization, can go to) The annual general meeting of the rugby club was held last night.
   ▪ a private/closed meeting (=that only a few people are allowed to go to) The senator attended a private meeting with the president.
   ▪ a summit meeting (=between leaders of governments) The Prime Minister is in Paris for a European summit meeting.
   ▪ a business meeting He had to go into town for a business meeting.
   ▪ a protest meeting Anti-road campaigners are holding a protest meeting today.
   ▪ an emergency/urgent meeting The Council has called an emergency meeting to decide what action to take.
     

THESAURUS

   ▪ meeting an occasion when people meet in order to discuss something: a business meeting. | Mr Bell is in a meeting. | The committee will hold another meeting Wednesday.
   ▪ conference an organized event, especially one that continues for several days, at which a lot of people meet to discuss a particular subject and hear speeches about it: Didn’t you give a talk at the conference last year? | a conference of women business leaders
   ▪ convention a large formal meeting of people who belong to a political party, or to an organization of people with the same interests: the Democratic Party Convention | a convention for Star Trek fans
   ▪ rally a large public meeting, especially one that is held outdoors to support or protest about something: There was a massive peace rally in London.
   ▪ summit a meeting between government leaders from important and powerful countries, to discuss important matters: A summit meeting of OPEC leaders was called to find a solution to the oil crisis. | next week’s economic summit
   ▪ caucus American English a local meeting of the members of a political party to choose people to represent them at a larger meeting, or to choose a candidate in an election: Obama won the Iowa caucus in 2007.
   ▪ teleconference/video conference a business meeting in which people in different places talk to each other using telephones or video equipment: The chairman held teleconferences with his senior managers.
   ▪ gathering/get-together a situation in which a group of people come together to meet, talk, and have drinks with each other, especially friends or family: We held a small family get-together to celebrate her birthday. | She arranged social gatherings in Kettering for young people on Saturday evenings.
   ▪ date an arrangement to meet someone who you are having, or hoping to have, a romantic relationship with: I think I might ask her out on a date.
   ▪ rendezvous a meeting where two people have arranged to meet at a particular time or place, often secretly: She arranged a rendezvous with him in the hotel bar.
   ▪ tryst literary a secret meeting between people who are having a romantic relationship: a good place for a moonlight tryst