engage

en|gage

W3 [ınˈgeıdʒ] v formal

[Date: 1500-1600; : French; Origin: engager, from gage 'something given as a promise']

1.) [I always + preposition]

to be doing or to become involved in an activity

engage in/on/upon

▪ Only 10% of American adults engage in regular exercise.

▪ The two parties engaged upon an escalating political struggle.

▪ Mr Armstrong was engaged in prayer.

engage in doing sth

▪ Despite her illness, she remains actively engaged in shaping policy.

2.) [T]

to attract someone's attention and keep them interested

engage sb's interest/attention

▪ The toy didn't engage her interest for long.

engage sb in conversation

(=start talking to them)

3.) engage with sb/sth

to get involved with other people and their ideas in order to understand them

▪ Are you so tired you don't have the energy to engage with your kids?

4.) [T] formal

to employ someone to do a particular job

engage sb to do sth

▪ Her father engaged a tutor to improve her maths.

engage sb as sth

▪ We'd be able to engage local people as volunteers.

5.) [I and T]

if you engage part of a machine, or if it engages, it moves so that it fits into another part of the machine

≠ ↑disengage

▪ She engaged the clutch and the car moved.

engage with

▪ The wheel engages with the cog and turns it.

6.) [I and T]

to begin to fight an enemy

▪ American forces did not directly engage.