engage

Pronunciation

• IPA ^(key): /ɪn'geɪʤ/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Hyphenation: en‧gage

Verb

Plain form engage

Third-person singular engages

Past tense engaged

Past participle engaged

Present participle engaging

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

• disengage

Related words

• disengage
• engaged
• engaging
• engagingly
• engagement