engage

From Wiktionary

Pronunciation[change]

Verb[change]

Plain form
engage

Third-person singular
engages

Past tense
engaged

Past participle
engaged

Present participle
engaging

Engage is on the Academic Vocabulary List.
  1. (intransitive) If you engage in an activity, you do it.
    My broken foot left me with few athletic activities that I could engage in.
    Most of the men did not engage in casual sex.
    Both employees engaged in behavior that didn't belong in the workplace.
    Should United States forces engage in fighting in these situations?
  2. (transitive) If you engage somebody, you get and keep their attention.
    Teachers are always thinking of ways to engage students.
  3. (transitive) (formal) If you engage somebody, you hire them.
  4. (transitive & intransitive) If you engage a part of a machine, you make it contact another part so that they both move.
    He reaches up and throws a red-handled lever to engage the black iron gears.
  5. (transitive & intransitive) If an army engages an enemy, they start fighting.

Antonyms[change]

Related words[change]