Engaged

Engaged
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]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • engaged — en‧gaged [ɪnˈgeɪdʒd] adjective a telephone that is engaged is being used; = busy AmE: • I can t get through her line s engaged. • Every time I call I get the engaged tone (= the sound you hear when the telephone is engaged ) . * * * …   Financial and business terms

  • Engaged — En*gaged , a. 1. Occupied; employed; busy. [1913 Webster] 2. Pledged; promised; especially, having the affections pledged; promised in marriage; affianced; betrothed. [1913 Webster] 3. Greatly interested; of awakened zeal; earnest. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • engaged — [en gājd′, ingājd′] adj. 1. pledged; esp., pledged in marriage; betrothed [an engaged couple] 2. not at leisure; occupied; employed; busy 3. a) involved in combat, as troops b) voluntarily committed or personally involved: cf. ENGAGÉ 4 …   English World dictionary

  • engaged — [adj1] promised to be married affianced, asked for, betrothed, bound, committed, contracted, future, given one’s word*, going steady*, hooked*, intended, matched, pinned, pledged, plighted, ringed, spoken for, steady; concept 555 Ant. available,… …   New thesaurus

  • engaged — index bound, indentured Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …   Law dictionary

  • engaged — ► ADJECTIVE 1) busy; occupied. 2) Brit. (of a telephone line) unavailable because already in use. 3) having formally agreed to marry …   English terms dictionary

  • engaged — adj. busy 1) actively; directly engaged 2) engaged in, on (esp. BE) (we are engaged in compiling a dictionary) betrothed 3) engaged to (Bill is engaged to Betty) hired 4) engaged to + inf. (she was engaged to work in public relations) * * * [ɪn… …   Combinatory dictionary

  • engaged — [[t]ɪnge͟ɪʤd[/t]] 1) ADJ: v link ADJ in/on n Someone who is engaged in or engaged on a particular activity is doing that thing. [FORMAL] The police said they found the three engaged in target practice. ...the various projects he was engaged on.… …   English dictionary

  • engaged */*/ — UK [ɪnˈɡeɪdʒd] / US adjective 1) formal involved in doing something engaged in: Her team knew they were engaged in work of great importance. 2) if two people are engaged, they have formally agreed to get married How long have you been engaged?… …   English dictionary

  • engaged — adj. 1 doing sth VERBS ▪ be ADVERB ▪ deeply, heavily ▪ those who are deeply engaged in party politics ▪ fully …   Collocations dictionary

  • engaged — en|gaged [ınˈgeıdʒd] adj 1.) if two people are engaged, they have agreed to marry ▪ Have you heard? Sally and Ray are getting engaged . ▪ She is engaged to be married . engaged to ▪ Kate s engaged to a guy from England. 2.) BrE if you call… …   Dictionary of contemporary English

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