engage: Meaning and Definition of

en•gage

1. to occupy the attention or efforts of (a person or persons): He engaged her in conversation.
2. to secure for aid, employment, use, etc.; hire: to engage a worker; to engage a room.
3. to attract and hold fast: The novel engaged her attention and interest.
4. to attract or please: His good nature engages everyone.
5. to bind, as by pledge, promise, contract, or oath; make liable: He engaged himself to repay his debt within a month.
6. to betroth (usually used in the passive): They were engaged last week.
7. to bring (troops) into conflict; enter into conflict with: Our army engaged the enemy.
8. to cause (gears or the like) to become interlocked; interlock with.
9. to attach or secure.
10. to entangle or involve.

1. to occupy oneself; become involved: to engage in business or politics.
2. to take employment: She engaged in her mother's business.
3. to pledge one's word; assume an obligation: I was unwilling to engage on such terms.
4. to cross weapons; enter into conflict: The armies engaged early in the morning.
5. (of gears or the like) to interlock.

en•ga•gé

1. choosing to involve oneself in or commit oneself to something: Some of the political activists grew less engagé as the years passed.