intimate to

intimate to (someone)

To suggest, hint, or insinuate something to someone. A noun or pronoun can be used between "intimate" and "to." I tried to intimate to Ed that he needed to take his elbows off the table, but he didn't get any of my hints. If you want something done, you can't just intimate your wishes to people—you have to be direct.
See also: intimate
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

intimate something to someone

to suggest or imply something to someone. What are you intimating to me? I intimated nothing at all to you.
See also: intimate
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
See also:
  • intimate to (someone)
  • have intimate relations with
  • have intimate relations with (one)
  • hint (something) to (someone)
  • emotional affair
  • hint for
  • implicate
  • implicate (someone) in (something)
  • thank you for sharing
  • thanks for sharing
References in periodicals archive
("Determining the limits of state authority over an individual's freedom to enter into a particular association therefore unavoidably entails a careful assessment of where that relationship's objective characteristics locate it on a spectrum from the most intimate to the most attenuated of personal attachments.").
Functional intimate association analysis: a doctrinal shift to save the Roberts framework