ə̇nˈgāj, en- verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Middle English engagen, from Middle French engager, engagier, from Old French engagier, from en- en- (I) + gage pledge, pawn — more at gage
transitive verb
1.
a. obsolete : mortgage , pawn , pledge
b. : to offer (as one's life or word) as backing to a cause or aim : expose to risk for the attainment or support of some end
engaged his all in the king's cause
I would like to drop out of this undertaking but my word is engaged
2.
a. obsolete : to involve or entangle (as a person) in some affair or enterprise
b. obsolete : to entangle or entrap in or as if in a snare or bog
c. : to attract and hold
engaged his attention by a series of sprightly comments
d. : to make (an architectural member) fast ; especially : to partially incorporate (a column) in a wall
e. : to come into contact or interlock with : mesh
the teeth of one gear wheel engaging those of another to transmit power
also : to cause (parts) to engage
engage the gears, then slowly let in your clutch
3.
a. obsolete : to commit (as a person) as surety (as for the payment of a debt or performance of an obligation)
b. : to bind (as oneself) to do or to forbear doing something by or as if by a formal promise or contract
he engaged himself not to call on his father for help
especially : to bind (as oneself) by a pledge to marry
a girl who engaged herself to three different men in as many months
— usually used passively
they had been engaged for over six years
c. : to pledge or commit (as oneself) to participate in some social or business activity
engaged herself to attend the meeting
often : to bind by a previous commitment
I would like to go with you but I am engaged that evening
a popular hairdresser whose time is engaged weeks in advance
4.
a. : to provide occupation for (as a person, his interest, or labor) : require the use of
it engaged all their strength to budge the stone
to fix the attention, but not to engage the mind, is a precise statement of the advertiser's formula — D.M.Potter
subsistence farming engages the major efforts of the settlers
his family had been engaged in trade for generations
b. : to arrange to obtain the services of usually for a wage or fee
she was engaged to play the leading role in the new opera
you will need to engage a cook and two extra maids if you take that house
also : to enter (oneself) into an agreement to serve
he engaged himself with the new company for two years
c. : to secure or arrange to secure (as accommodations, goods, or aid)
he will engage a suite at the hotel
have your agent engage wheat for fall delivery
I have engaged the help of the local chief in order to recruit enough porters
d. : to gain over : win and attach : attract
his gentle persistence gradually engaged all the neighbors
she engages everyone with her pretty girlish ways
5.
a. archaic : to call upon : exhort , induce , persuade
b. : to hold the attention of : engross , occupy
the puzzle engaged him all evening
we were engaged in cleaning the cottage until just before you came
c. : to induce to participate : draw out
I engaged him in conversation
6.
a. : to enter into contest with : bring to conflict
ordered to seek out and engage the enemy fleet
b. : to bring together or interlock (weapons)
engaged their foils after a preliminary pass or two
the battling stags engage their heavy antlers and strive for mastery
intransitive verb
1.
a. : to promise or pledge oneself
engaged to free the Holy Land
: enter into or take on an obligation
they engaged to sell our grain at the best possible price
the Indians engaged to keep the peace
b. : to become pledged or answerable : guarantee , promise — usually used with for
he'll be there on time but that's all I can engage for
he engages for the honesty of his brother
2.
a. : to begin and carry on an enterprise, especially a business or profession
he engaged in trade for several years
b. : to employ or involve oneself
he engaged in one long round of pleasure as long as his money lasted
c. : to take part : participate
he engaged in a long-winded dispute
engaging in a hog-calling contest
3.
a. : to enter into conflict : join battle
b. : to bring together or interlock weapons — used especially of fencers
4. archaic : to become involved or entagled
5. of machinery : to be or become in gear (as of two gear wheels working together) : interlock and interact
Synonyms: see promise