'Engage' definitions:
Definition of 'engage'
From: WordNet
verb
Carry out or participate in an activity; be involved in; "She pursued many activities"; "They engaged in a discussion" [syn: prosecute, engage, pursue]
verb
Consume all of one's attention or time; "Her interest in butterflies absorbs her completely" [syn: absorb, engross, engage, occupy]
verb
Engage or hire for work; "They hired two new secretaries in the department"; "How many people has she employed?" [syn: hire, engage, employ] [ant: can, dismiss, displace, fire, force out, give notice, give the axe, give the sack, sack, send away, terminate]
verb
Ask to represent; of legal counsel; "I'm retaining a lawyer"
verb
verb
Get caught; "make sure the gear is engaged" [ant: disengage]
verb
Carry on (wars, battles, or campaigns); "Napoleon and Hitler waged war against all of Europe" [syn: engage, wage]
verb
Hire for work or assistance; "engage aid, help, services, or support" [syn: engage, enlist]
verb
Engage for service under a term of contract; "We took an apartment on a quiet street"; "Let's rent a car"; "Shall we take a guide in Rome?" [syn: lease, rent, hire, charter, engage, take]
verb
Definition of 'Engage'
From: GCIDE
- Engage \En*gage"\, v. i.
- 1. To promise or pledge one's self; to enter into an obligation; to become bound; to warrant. [1913 Webster]
- How proper the remedy for the malady, I engage not. --Fuller. [1913 Webster]
- 2. 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. [1913 Webster]
- 3. To enter into conflict; to join battle; as, the armies engaged in a general battle. [1913 Webster]
- 4. (Mach.) To be in gear, as two cogwheels working together. [1913 Webster]
Definition of 'Engage'
From: GCIDE
- Engage \En*gage"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Engaged; p. pr. & vb. n. Engaging.] [F. engager; pref. en- (L. in) + gage pledge, pawn. See Gage.]
- 1. 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. "I to thee engaged a prince's word." --Shak. [1913 Webster]
- 2. 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. [1913 Webster]
- 3. To gain over; to win and attach; to attract and hold; to draw. [1913 Webster]
- Good nature engages everybody to him. --Addison. [1913 Webster]
- 4. To employ the attention and efforts of; to occupy; to engross; to draw on. [1913 Webster]
- Thus shall mankind his guardian care engage. --Pope. [1913 Webster]
- Taking upon himself the difficult task of engaging him in conversation. --Hawthorne. [1913 Webster]
- 5. To enter into contest with; to encounter; to bring to conflict. [1913 Webster]
- A favorable opportunity of engaging the enemy. --Ludlow. [1913 Webster]
- 6. (Mach.) 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. [1913 Webster]
Synonyms of 'engage'
From: Moby Thesaurus
- absorb,
- absorb the attention,
- accept obligation,
- affiance,
- agree,
- agree to,
- answer for,
- appeal,
- approach,
- arrest,
- assault,
- assay,
- attack,
- attempt,
- attend to business,
- attract,
- bargain,
- bargain for,
- battle,
- be answerable for,
- be attractive,
- be responsible for,
- be security for,
- beckon,
- become engaged,
- bespeak,
- betroth,
- bind,
- book,
- brief,
- bring,
- busy,
- captivate,
- capture,
- carry,
- catch,
- catch up in,
- chance,
- charm,
- clash with,
- coact,
- combat,
- commit,
- compact,
- concern,
- contract,
- contract an engagement,
- contract for,
- cooperate,
- covenant,
- decide,
- determine,
- devote,
- dispose,
- do a deal,
- do battle,
- dovetail,
- draw,
- draw in,
- embark on,
- embarrass,
- employ,
- enchant,
- encounter,
- engage in,
- engage in battle,
- engage the attention,
- engage the mind,
- engage the thoughts,
- engross,
- engross the mind,
- engross the thoughts,
- enlist,
- enmesh,
- entangle,
- enter into,
- enthrall,
- essay,
- exercise,
- face,
- fascinate,
- fetch,
- fight,
- get to do,
- give battle,
- go bail for,
- grab,
- grapple with,
- grip,
- guarantee,
- have an understanding,
- hire,
- hold,
- hold spellbound,
- hold the interest,
- hypnotize,
- imbue,
- immerse,
- implicate,
- incline,
- indenture,
- induce,
- influence,
- interact,
- interchange,
- interest,
- interest in,
- interlace,
- interlock,
- intermesh,
- interplay,
- intertwine,
- interweave,
- interwork,
- invite,
- involve,
- involve the interest,
- join battle,
- join battle with,
- join issue,
- lead,
- lift a finger,
- lure,
- make a deal,
- make an attempt,
- make an effort,
- meet,
- mesh,
- mesmerize,
- mind the store,
- monopolize,
- mortise,
- obligate,
- obsess,
- occupy,
- occupy the attention,
- offer,
- partake in,
- participate in,
- pass,
- pass the time,
- pledge,
- plight,
- preengage,
- preoccupy,
- procure,
- promise,
- prompt,
- publish the banns,
- put on,
- recruit,
- rent,
- reserve,
- retain,
- secure,
- shake hands on,
- sign on,
- sign up,
- sign up for,
- soak,
- spellbind,
- spend,
- spend the time,
- stipulate,
- strike,
- suck into,
- summon,
- sway,
- take into employment,
- take on,
- take part in,
- take the vows,
- take up,
- tangle,
- tantalize,
- tease,
- tempt,
- tickle,
- tie,
- tie up,
- titillate,
- troth,
- try,
- try conclusions,
- undertake,
- venture,
- venture on,
- venture upon,
- whet the appetite