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adj. Actively committed, as to a political cause. |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
| v. en·gaged, en·gag·ing, en·gag·es v. tr. 1. To obtain or contract for the services of; employ: engage a carpenter. 3. To pledge or promise, especially to marry: was engaged to a famous actor. 4. To attract and hold the attention of; engross: a hobby that engaged her for hours at a time. 5. To win over or attract: His smile engages everyone he meets. 6. To draw into; involve: engage a shy person in conversation. 7. To require the use of; occupy: Studying engages most of my time. 8. To enter or bring into conflict with: We have engaged the enemy. 9. a. To cause the components of (a part of a machine) to touch or mesh so as to transmit motion or force: engaged the transmission. b. To put (a part of a machine) into operation: engaged the mower blades. 10. Archaic To give or take as security. v. intr. 1. To involve oneself or become occupied; participate: engage in conversation. 2. To assume an obligation; agree. 3. To enter into conflict or battle: The armies engaged at dawn. 4. To become meshed or interlocked: The gears engaged. [Middle English engagen, to pledge something as security for repayment of debt, from Old French engagier : en-, in; see EN–1 + gage, pledge, of Germanic origin.] en·gager n. |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
