Dictionary
en•gage
Pronunciation: (en-gāj'), [key]
—v., -gaged, -gag•ing.
—
v.t.
1. to occupy the attention or efforts of (a person or persons):
He engaged her in conversation.
2. to secure for aid, employment, use, etc.; hire:
to engage a worker; to engage a room.
3. to attract and hold fast:
The novel engaged her attention and interest.
4. to attract or please:
His good nature engages everyone.
5. to bind, as by pledge, promise, contract, or oath; make liable:
He engaged himself to repay his debt within a month.
6. to betroth (usually used in the passive):
They were engaged last week.
7. to bring (troops) into conflict; enter into conflict with:
Our army engaged the enemy.
8. Mech.to cause (gears or the like) to become interlocked; interlock with.
9. to attach or secure.
10. Obs.to entangle or involve.
—
v.i.
1. to occupy oneself; become involved:
to engage in business or politics.
2. to take employment:
She engaged in her mother's business.
3. to pledge one's word; assume an obligation:
I was unwilling to engage on such terms.
4. to cross weapons; enter into conflict:
The armies engaged early in the morning.
5. Mech.(of gears or the like) to interlock.
en•ga•gé
Pronunciation: ( Fr. än-ga-zhā'), [key]—
adj.
choosing to involve oneself in or commit oneself to something:
Some of the political activists grew less engagé as the years passed. Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
