(~s, engaging, ~d)
Frequency: The word is one of the 3000 most common words in English.
1.
If you ~ in an activity, you do it or are actively involved with it. (FORMAL)
I have never ~d in the drug trade...
VERB: V in n
2.
If something ~s you or your attention or interest, it keeps you interested in it and thinking about it.
They never learned skills to ~ the attention of the others.
VERB: V n
3.
If you ~ someone in conversation, you have a conversation with them.
They tried to ~ him in conversation...
VERB: V n in n
4.
If you ~ with something or with a group of people, you get involved with that thing or group and feel that you are connected with it or have real contact with it.
She found it hard to ~ with office life...
VERB: V with n
~ment
And she, too, suffers from a lack of critical ~ment with the literary texts.
N-UNCOUNT: usu N with n
5.
If you ~ someone to do a particular job, you appoint them to do it. (FORMAL)
We ~d the services of a recognised engineer...
VERB: V n
6.
When a part of a machine or other mechanism ~s or when you ~ it, it moves into a position where it fits into something else.
Press the lever until you hear the catch ~.
...a lesson in how to ~ the four-wheel drive.
VERB: V, V n
7.
When a military force ~s the enemy, it attacks them and starts a battle.
It could ~ the enemy beyond the range of hostile torpedoes.
VERB: V n
8.
see also ~d , engaging