[en.gi.neer] n [alter. of earlier enginer, fr. ME, alter. of enginour, fr. MF engigneur, fr. OF engignier to contrive, fr. engin] (14c) 1: a member of a military group devoted to engineering work
2. obs: a crafty schemer: plotter 3 a: a designer or builder of engines b: a person who is trained in or follows as a profession a branch of engineering c: a person who carries through an enterprise by skillful or artful contrivance
4: a person who runs or supervises an engine or an apparatus
[2]engineer vt (1843) 1: to lay out, construct, or manage as an engineer
2. a: to contrive or plan out usu. with more or less subtle skill and craft b: to guide the course of
3: to modify or produce by genetic engineering "grain crops ~ed to require fewer nutrients and produce higher yields" syn see guide