[en.ter] vb en.tered ; en.ter.ing [ME entren, fr. OF entrer, fr. L intrare, fr. intra within; akin to L inter between--more at inter-] vi (13c) 1: to go or come in
2: to come or gain admission into a group: join--often used with into 3 a: to make a beginning "~ing upon a career" b: to begin to consider a subject--usu. used with into or upon
4: to go upon land for the purpose of taking possession
5: to play a part: be a factor "other considerations ~ when money is involved" ~ vt 1: to come or go into "~ a room"
2: inscribe, register "~ the names of qualified voters"
3: to cause to be received or admitted "~ a child at a school"
4: to put in: insert "~ the new data into the computer"
5. a: to make a beginning in "~ politics" b: to go into (a particular period of time) "~ middle age"
6: to become a member of or an active participant in "~ the university" "~ a race" 7: to make report of (a ship or its cargo) to customs authorities 8: to place in proper form before a court of law or upon record "~ a writ" 9: to go into or upon and take actual possession of (as land) 10: to put formally on record "~ing a complaint" -- en.ter.able adj -- enter into 1: to make oneself a party to or in "enter into an agreement"
2: to form or be part of "your prejudices shouldn't enter into it"
3: to participate or share in "enter into the spirit of the occasion" -- enter the lists : to engage in a fight or struggle syn enter, penetrate, pierce, probe mean to make way into something. enter is the most general of these and may imply either going in or forcing a way in "entered the city in triumph". penetrate carries a strong implication of an impelling force or compelling power that achieves entrance "the enemy penetrated the fortress". pierce means an entering or cutting through with a sharp pointed instrument "pierced the boil with a lancet". probe implies penetration to investigate or explore something hidden from sight or knowledge "probed the depths of the sea".