From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishclientcli‧ent /ˈklaɪənt/ ●●● S2 W1 noun [countable] 1 BUYsomeone who gets services or advice from a professional person, company, or organization SYN customer a meeting with an important client► see thesaurus at customer2 technical a computer on a network that receives information from a server (=large powerful computer)COLLOCATIONSADJECTIVES/NOUN + client newMost 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 clientCompetition 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.verbsadvise a clientThe surveyor will advise his client on the value of the property.act for/on behalf of a clientThe lawyer will write confirming that he agrees to act for his client.represent a clientMead was a top attorney representing major corporate clients.deal with a clientThey receive training to help them deal with difficult clients.client + NOUNa client base (=all the people, companies etc that are your clients)The company quickly expanded its client base in the US.
Examples from the Corpus
client• The food will then be heated up by the elderly and disabled clients themselves.• Case workers deal with as many as a dozen clients a day.• On the phone, though, her client sounded timid, afraid, lost.• Elkins assured the judge that neither of his clients had a criminal record.• Kilmer's attorney, Ralph Loeb, said that his client should not have to pay the government anything.• One of its clients, Houston Power and Light, uses the object-oriented system to help schedule maintenance of its power stations.• Under the non-exclusive agreement, Ingenia will sell O2 to its clients in the defence, agro-chemical and automotive industries.• International sponsors the team jointly with one of its key clients, offshore fabrication group McDermott International.• The firm is one of our oldest clients - we don't want to lose them.• Whether or not we agree with the principles or validity of church laws and rules, many of our clients will accept them.• Both companies are private client stockbrokers, which specialize in managing money for wealthy investors, trusts and charities.• It was not etiquette to enquire where clients went, so Theodora had asked no questions.• Mr Langston normally meets with clients in the afternoon.From Longman Business Dictionaryclientcli‧ent /ˈklaɪənt/ noun [countable]1COMMERCEsomeone who pays for services or advice from a professional person or organizationIt is one of the stockbroking firm’s biggest corporate clients (=clients that are companies).Defence lawyer Ronald Cole said his client was suffering from deep depression.2COMMERCEsomeone who buys something from a sellerSYNCUSTOMERMost of the shop’s regular clients are men.3COMPUTING a computer connected to another computer that controls it, for example in a NETWORK → compare serverOrigin client (1300-1400) Old French Latin cliens 