pledged to be married; betrothed employed, occupied, or busy built against or attached to a wall or similar structure: an engaged column (of a telephone line) already in use
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025
en•gaged /ɛnˈgeɪdʒd/USA pronunciation adj.
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025- pledged to be married:an engaged couple.
en•gage /ɛnˈgeɪdʒ/USA pronunciation
v., -gaged, -gag•ing.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025- to occupy the attention or efforts of;
involve: [~ + object + in + object]He engaged his daughter in conversation.[~ + in + object]He engaged in politics for many years. - to hire;
arrange for (someone) to provide a special service:[~ + object]to engage a lifeguard for the beach. - to attract and hold fast:[~ + object]The book engaged my attention.
- to enter into conflict with:[~ + object]The army engaged the enemy.
- Mechanics(of gears or the like) to interlock or cause to become interlocked: [~ + object]He engaged the clutch and sped off.[no object]The clutch engaged and the car sped off.
en•gaged
(en gājd′),USA pronunciation adj.
en•gag•ed•ly
(en gā′jid lē, -gājd′-),USA pronunciation adv.
en•gag′ed•ness, n.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025- busy or occupied; involved:deeply engaged in conversation.
- pledged to be married;
betrothed:an engaged couple. - under engagement;
pledged:an engaged contractor. - entered into conflict with:desperately engaged armies.
- [Mech.]
- Mechanicsinterlocked.
- Mechanics(of wheels) in gear with each other.
- Architecture(of a distinct member) built so as to be truly or seemingly attached in part to the structure before which it stands:an engaged column.
- engage + -ed2 1605–15
en•gage
(en gāj′),USA pronunciation v., -gaged, -gag•ing.
v.t.
v.i.
en•gag′er, n.
en•ga•gé (Fr. än ga zhā′),USA pronunciation adj.
v.t.
- to occupy the attention or efforts of (a person or persons):He engaged her in conversation.
- to secure for aid, employment, use, etc.;
hire:to engage a worker; to engage a room. - to attract and hold fast:The novel engaged her attention and interest.
- to attract or please:His good nature engages everyone.
- to bind, as by pledge, promise, contract, or oath;
make liable:He engaged himself to repay his debt within a month. - to betroth (usually used in the passive):They were engaged last week.
- to bring (troops) into conflict;
enter into conflict with:Our army engaged the enemy. - Mechanicsto cause (gears or the like) to become interlocked;
interlock with. - to attach or secure.
- [Obs.]to entangle or involve.
v.i.
- to occupy oneself;
become involved:to engage in business or politics. - to take employment:She engaged in her mother's business.
- to pledge one's word;
assume an obligation:I was unwilling to engage on such terms. - to cross weapons;
enter into conflict:The armies engaged early in the morning. - Mechanics(of gears or the like) to interlock.
- Middle French engager, Old French engagier. See en-1, gage1
- 1515–25
- 1.See corresponding entry in Unabridged absorb, engross, interest, involve.
- 2.See corresponding entry in Unabridged discharge.
- 8.See corresponding entry in Unabridged release.
en•ga•gé (Fr. än ga zhā′),USA pronunciation adj.
- choosing to involve oneself in or commit oneself to something:Some of the political activists grew less engagé as the years passed.
- French: literally, engaged
- 1950–55
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
to secure the services of; employ to secure for use; reserve: engage a room to involve (a person or his or her attention) intensely; engross; occupy to attract (the affection) of (a person): her innocence engaged him to draw (somebody) into conversation - (intransitive)
to take part; participate: he engages in many sports to promise (to do something) - (also intr)
to begin an action with (an enemy) to bring (a mechanism) into operation: he engaged the clutch - (also intr)
to undergo or cause to undergo interlocking, as of the components of a driving mechanism, such as a gear train to locate (a locking device) in its operative position or to advance (a tool) into a workpiece to commence cutting