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engage - Meaning and Examples

Meaning of 'engage' (Webster Dictionary)

1 . Engage [ v. i.]
- To promise or pledge one's self; to enter into an obligation; to become bound; to warrant.
- To embark in a business; to take a part; to employ or involve one's self; to devote attention and effort; to enlist; as, to engage in controversy.
- To enter into conflict; to join battle; as, the armies engaged in a general battle.
- To be in gear, as two cogwheels working together.
2 . Engage [ v. t.]
- To put under pledge; to pledge; to place under obligations to do or forbear doing something, as by a pledge, oath, or promise; to bind by contract or promise.
- To gain for service; to bring in as associate or aid; to enlist; as, to engage friends to aid in a cause; to engage men for service.
- To gain over; to win and attach; to attract and hold; to draw.
- To employ the attention and efforts of; to occupy; to engross; to draw on.
- To enter into contest with; to encounter; to bring to conflict.
- To come into gear with; as, the teeth of one cogwheel engage those of another, or one part of a clutch engages the other part.

Meaning of 'engage' (Princeton's WordNet)

1 . engage [ v]
Meaning (1):
- hire for work or assistance
Example in sentence:
  • engage aid, help, services, or support
Meaning (2):
- keep engaged
Example in sentence:
  • engaged the gears
Meaning (3):
- consume all of one's attention or time
Example in sentence:
  • Her interest in butterflies absorbs her completely
Meaning (4):
- engage or hire for work
Example in sentence:
  • How many people has she employed?;
  • They hired two new secretaries in the department
Meaning (5):
- ask to represent; of legal counsel
Example in sentence:
  • I'm retaining a lawyer
Meaning (6):
- engage for service under a term of contract
Example in sentence:
  • Let's rent a car;
  • Shall we take a guide in Rome?;
  • We took an apartment on a quiet street
Meaning (7):
- get caught
Example in sentence:
  • make sure the gear is engaged
Meaning (8):
- carry on (wars, battles, or campaigns)
Example in sentence:
  • Napoleon and Hitler waged war against all of Europe
Meaning (9):
- carry out or participate in an activity; be involved in
Example in sentence:
  • She pursued many activities;
  • They engaged in a discussion

Nearby Words:

engaged engagedly engagedness engagement engager engaging engallant engaol engarboil engarland

See 'engage' also in:

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