Толковый словарь английского языка

[Date: 1300-1400; Language: Old French; Origin: Latin cliens]

1. someone who gets services or advice from a professional person, company, or organization SYN customer:

a meeting with an important client

2. technical a computer on a ↑network that receives information from a ↑server (=large powerful computer)

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COLLOCATIONS

■ ADJECTIVES/NOUN + client

▪ new Most firms are desperate for new clients.

▪ important This is an important client and we do not want to lose her.

▪ a major client (=an important one) Some of our major clients have not taken the news of the merger well.

▪ a potential/prospective client (=someone who might become a client) Make sure potential clients know about all of your services.

▪ an existing client (=one that you already have) We are very keen to keep our existing clients happy.

▪ a private client (=a person rather than a business) There are more than 200 stockbroking firms eager to take on private clients.

▪ a business client Competition for business clients between travel companies is keen.

▪ a corporate client (=a big company or a group of companies) Our law firm represents numerous corporate clients.

■ verbs

▪ advise a client The surveyor will advise his client on the value of the property.

▪ act for/on behalf of a client The lawyer will write confirming that he agrees to act for his client.

▪ represent a client Mead was a top attorney representing major corporate clients.

▪ deal with a client They receive training to help them deal with difficult clients.

■ client + NOUN

▪ a client base (=all the people, companies etc that are your clients) The company quickly expanded its client base in the US.

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THESAURUS

▪ customer someone who buys goods or services from a shop or company: Customers were waiting for the shop to open. | The bank is one of our biggest customers.

▪ client someone who pays for a service from a professional person or company: He has a meeting with one of his clients. | The company buys and sells shares on behalf of their clients

▪ shopper someone who goes to the shops looking for things to buy: The streets were full of Christmas shoppers.

▪ guest someone who pays to stay in a hotel: Guests must leave their rooms by 10 am.

▪ patron /ˈpeɪtrən/ formal a customer of a particular shop, restaurant or hotel – usually written on signs: The notice said ‘Parking for Patrons Only’.

▪ patient someone who is getting medical treatment from a doctor, or in a hospital: He is a patient of Dr Williams.

▪ consumer anyone who buys goods or uses services – used when considering these people as a group who have particular rights, needs, or behaviour: Consumers are demanding more environmentally-friendly products. | the rights of the consumer | The law is designed to protect consumers who buy goods on the Internet.

▪ market the number of people who want to buy a product, or the type of people who want to buy it: The market for organic food is growing all the time. | a magazine aimed at the youth market

▪ clientele /ˌkliːənˈtel $ ˌklaɪənˈtel, ˌkliː-/ formal the type of customers that a particular shop, restaurant etc gets: The hotel has a very upmarket clientele. | They have a wealthy international clientele.