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1. Carry out or participate in an activity; be involved in
   "They engaged in a discussion";
   - prosecute, pursue
    
2. Consume all of one's attention or time
   "Her interest in butterflies engages her completely";
   - absorb, engross, occupy
    
3. Start in a job or pay to do a particular piece of work
   "They engaged two new secretaries in the department";
   - hire, employ
    
4. Ask to represent; of legal counsel
    
5. Give to in marriage
   - betroth [archaic], affiance [literary], plight [archaic]
    
6. Get caught
   "make sure the gear is engaged"
    
7. Carry on (wars, battles, or campaigns)
   "Napoleon and Hitler engaged war against all of Europe";
   - wage
    
8. Hire for work or assistance
   "engage aid, help, services, or support";
   - enlist
    
9. Engage for service under a term of contract
   "Let's engage a car";
   - lease, rent, hire, charter, take
    
10. Keep engaged
    "engaged the gears";
    - mesh, lock, operate
     
11. (military) start armed combat with

Derived forms: engaged, engaging, engages

Type of: acquire, act, displace, fight, get, interest, move, procure, secure, struggle, touch, vow

Antonym: disengage

Encyclopedia: Engage