Etymology : Middle English, from Middle French engagier, from Old French, from en- + gage token, gage
Pronunciation : in-gAj, en-
Function : verb
Date : 15th century
1. betrothed; busy (about a telephone line); occupied, involved. engaged\en*gaged"\ , a.
2. occupied; employed; busy.
3. pledged; promised; especially, having the affections pledged; promised in marriage; affianced; betrothed.
4. greatly interested; of awakened zeal; earnest.
5. involved; esp., involved in a hostile encounter; as, the engaged ships continued the fight.engaged column. (arch.) same as attached column. see:
under attach, v. t.
6. Occupied; employed; busy.
7. Pledged; promised; especially, having the affections pledged; promised in marriage; affianced; betrothed.
8. Greatly interested; of awakened zeal; earnest.
9. Involved; esp., involved in a hostile encounter; as, the engaged ships continued the fight. having ones attention or mind or energy engaged; "she keeps herself fully occupied with volunteer activities"; "deeply engaged in conversation" built against or attached to a wall; "engaged columns" having services contracted for; "the carpenter engaged for the job is sick" interlocked and interacting; "the gears are engaged"; "meshed gears"; "intermeshed twin rotors" involved in military hostilities; "the desperately engaged ships continued the fight".
10. To put under pledge; to pledge; to place under obligations to do or forbear doing something, as by a pledge, oath, or promise; to bind by contract or promise.
11. To gain for service; to bring in as associate or aid; to enlist; as, to engage friends to aid in a cause; to engage men for service.
12. To gain over; to win and attach; to attract and hold; to draw.
13. To employ the attention and efforts of; to occupy; to engross; to draw on.
14. To enter into contest with; to encounter; to bring to conflict.
15. To come into gear with; as, the teeth of one cogwheel engage those of another, or one part of a clutch engages the other part.
16. To promise or pledge one's self; to enter into an obligation; to become bound; to warrant.
17. To embark in a business; to take a part; to employ or involve one's self; to devote attention and effort; to enlist; as, to engage in controversy.
18. To enter into conflict; to join battle; as, the armies engaged in a general battle.
19. To be in gear, as two cogwheels working together. get caught; "make sure the gear is engaged" keep engaged; "engaged the gears" as of aid, help, services, or support as of wars, battles, or campaigns; "Napoleon and Hitler waged war against all of Europe" ask to represent; of legal counsel; "I'm retaining a lawyer".
20. 1. Someone who is engaged in or engaged on a particular activity is doing that thing. They found the three engaged in target practice. the various projects he was engaged on.
21. When two people are engaged, they have agreed to marry each other. We got engaged on my eighteenth birthday.
22. If a telephone or a telephone line is engaged, it is already being used by someone else so that you are unable to speak to the person you are phoning. The line is engaged.
23. If a public toilet is engaged, it is already being used by someone else.