1. Having one's attention, mind or energy occupied
   "deeply engaged in conversation";
   - occupied
    
2. Pledged to be married
   "the engaged couple";
   - betrothed
    
3. Reserved in advance
   "The engaged hotel room awaited their arrival";
   - booked, set-aside
    
4. (of facilities such as telephones or lavatories) unavailable for use by anyone else or indicating unavailability
   "receptionists' telephones are always engaged";
   - busy, in use
    
5. Involved in military hostilities
   "the desperately engaged ships continued the fight"
    
6. (used of toothed parts or gears) interlocked and interacting
   "the gears are engaged";
   - meshed, intermeshed
    
7. (architecture) built against or attached to a wall
   "engaged columns"

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. Hire for work or assistance
   "engage aid, help, services, or support";
   - enlist
    
4. Start in a job or pay to do a particular piece of work
   "They engaged two new secretaries in the department";
   - hire, employ, take on
    
5. Engage for service under a term of contract
   "The company engaged three new employees";
   - lease, rent, hire, charter, take
    
6. Ask to represent; of legal counsel
   "The company engaged a top law firm to handle the merger"
    
7. Carry on (wars, battles, or campaigns)
   "The nations engaged in a lengthy war";
   - wage
    
8. Give to in marriage
   "Her parents engaged her to the neighbouring kingdom's prince";
   - betroth [archaic], affiance [literary], plight [archaic]
    
9. Get caught
   "make sure the gear is engaged"
    
10. Keep engaged
    "engaged the gears";
    - mesh, lock, operate
     
11. (military) start armed combat with
    "The troops engaged the enemy at dawn"

See also: attached, busy, committed, connected, geared, involved, occupied, on hold, reserved

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

Antonym: disengage

Encyclopedia: Engaged