[] ( Assoc.) a group of people or organizations who have joined together for a particular purpose协会◆Do you belong to any professional associations?你参加了专业协会没有？◆the National Association of Pension Funds全国养老基金协会◆AIRMIC, an association that represents corporate buyers of insurance保险及风险管理人协会（代表购买保险的企业的协会）HELP You will find the names of particular associations at their initials. For example, you will find the ‘Association for Payment Clearing Services’ at APACS.你可从首字母组成的缩写中发现某协会的名称，如 Association for Payment Clearing Services 缩写为 APACS。SYNsociety ⨁a business / consumer / employers' / professional / staff association 商业／消费者／雇主／专业／职工协会 [, ]the act of joining or working with another person, company or group联合；联系◆She has had a long and productive association with the firm.她与这家公司长期来往，关系很好。◆We work in association with our New York office.我们与纽约办事处合作。articles of association brand association building and loan association freedom of association industry association memorandum of association savings and loan association staff association trade association