SG Heritage Dictionary

Engage [Verb intransitive] Webster's Dictionary 1828

1. To encounter; to begin to fight; to attack in conflict. The armies engaged at Marengo, in a general battle.

2. To embark in any business; to take a concern in; to undertake. Be cautious not to engage in controversy, without indispensable necessity.

3. To promise or pledge one's word; to bind one's self; as, a friend has engaged to supply the necessary funds.

Engage [Verb transitive] Webster's Dictionary 1828

1. To make liable for a debt to a creditor; to bind one's self as surety.

2. To pawn; to stake as a pledge.

3. To enlist; to bring into a party; as, to engage men for service; to engage friends to aid in a cause.

4. To embark in an affair; as, be not hasty to engage yourself in party disputes.

5. To gain; to win and attach; to draw to.

6. Good nature engages every one to its possessor.

7. To very duty he could minds engage

8. To unite and bind by contract or promise. Nations engage themselves to each other by treaty. The young often engage themselves to their sorrow.

9. To attract and fix; as, to engage the attention.

10. To occupy; to employ assiduously. We were engaged in conversation. The nation is engaged in war.

11. To attack in contest; to encounter. The army engaged the enemy at ten o'clock. The captain engaged the ship, at point blank distance.

Engage [Verb intransitive] Webster's Dictionary 1913

1. To promise or pledge one's self; to enter into an obligation; to become bound; to warrant.

2. 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.

3. To enter into conflict; to join battle; as, the armies engaged in a general battle.

4. To be in gear, as two cogwheels working together.

Engage [Verb transitive] Webster's Dictionary 1913

1. 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.

2. 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.

3. To gain over; to win and attach; to attract and hold; to draw.

4. To employ the attention and efforts of; to occupy; to engross; to draw on.

5. To enter into contest with; to encounter; to bring to conflict.

6. 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.

Engaged [Participle passive] Webster's Dictionary 1828

or adjective Pledged; promised; enlisted; gained and attached; attracted and fixed; embarked; earnestly employed; zealous.

Engaged [Adjective] Webster's Dictionary 1913

1. Occupied; employed; busy.

2. Pledged; promised; especially, having the affections pledged; promised in marriage; affianced; betrothed.

3. Greatly interested; of awakened zeal; earnest.

4. Involved; esp., involved in a hostile encounter; as, the engaged ships continued the fight.

Engaged [Imperfect tense and past participle] Webster's Dictionary 1913

of Engage

Engagedly [Adverb] Webster's Dictionary 1828

With earnestness; with attachment.

Engagedly [Adverb] Webster's Dictionary 1913

With attachment; with interest; earnestly.

Engagedness [Noun] Webster's Dictionary 1828

The state of being seriously and earnestly occupied; zeal; animation.

Engagedness [Noun] Webster's Dictionary 1913

The state of being deeply interested; earnestness; zeal.

Engagement [Noun] Webster's Dictionary 1828

1. The act of pawning, pledging or making liable for debt.

2. Obligation by agreement or contract. Men are often more ready to make engagements than to fulfil them.

3. Adherence to a party or cause; partiality.

4. Occupation; employment of the attention.

5. Play, by too long or constant engagement becomes

6. like an employment or profession.

7. Employment in fighting; the conflict of armies or fleets; battle; a general action; appropriately the conflict of whole armies or fleets, but applied to actions between small squadrons or single ships, rarely to a fight between detachments of land forces.

8. Obligation; motive; that which engages.

Engagement [Noun] Webster's Dictionary 1913

1. The act of engaging, pledging, enlisting, occupying, or entering into contest.

2. The state of being engaged, pledged or occupied; specif., a pledge to take some one as husband or wife.

3. That which engages; engrossing occupation; employment of the attention; obligation by pledge, promise, or contract; an enterprise embarked in; as, his engagements prevented his acceptance of any office.

4. An action; a fight; a battle.

5. The state of being in gear; as, one part of a clutch is brought into engagement with the other part.

Engager [Noun] Webster's Dictionary 1828

One that enters into an engagement or agreement.

Engager [Noun] Webster's Dictionary 1913

One who enters into an engagement or agreement; a surety.

Earliness Roget’s Thesaurus §132

N. {ant. 133} earliness, morning, punctuality, promptitude, haste, suddenness, prematurity, precocity, precipitation, anticipation, a stitch in time

V. be early, be beforehand, keep time, take time by the forelock, anticipate, forestall, have the start, gain the start, steal a march upon, gain time, draw on futurity, bespeak, secure, engage, preengage, accelerate, expedite, make haste

Adj. early, prime, forward, prompt, summary, premature, precipitate, precocious, prevenient, anticipatory, rath, sudden, unexpected, near, near at hand, immediate

Adv. early, soon, anon, betimes, rath, eft, eftsoons, ere long, before long, shortly, beforehand, prematurely, precipitately, too soon, before its time, before one's time, in anticipation, unexpectedly, suddenly, before one can say "jack robinson", at short notice, extempore, on the spur of the moment, on the spur of the occasion, at once, on the spot, on the instant, at sight, offhand, out of hand, a' vue d'oeil, straight, straightway, straightforth, forthwith, incontinently, summarily, immediately, briefly, shortly, quickly, speedily, apace, before the ink is dry, almost immediately, presently at the first opportunity, in no long time, by and by, in a while, directly

Phr. no sooner said than done, immediately, if not sooner, tout vient a temps pour qui sait attendre

Motive Roget’s Thesaurus §615

N. motive, springs of action, wellsprings of action, reason, ground, call, principle, by end, by purpose, mainspring, primum mobile, keystone, the why and the wherefore, pro and con, reason why, secret motive, arriere pensee, intention, inducement, consideration, attraction, loadstone, magnet, magnetism, magnetic force, allectation|, allective|, temptation, enticement, agacerie, allurement, witchery, bewitchment, bewitchery, charm, spell, fascination, blandishment, cajolery, seduction, seducement, honeyed words, voice of the tempter, song of the sirens forbidden fruit, golden apple, persuasibility, persuasibleness, attractability, impressibility, susceptibility, softness, persuasiveness, attractiveness, tantalization, influence, prompting, dictate, instance, impulse, impulsion, incitement, incitation, press, instigation, provocation, inspiration, persuasion, suasion, encouragement, advocacy, exhortation, advice, solicitation, lobbyism, pull*, incentive, stimulus, spur, fillip, whip, goad, ankus, rowel, provocative, whet, dram, bribe, lure, decoy, decoy duck, bait, trail of a red herring, bribery and corruption, sop, sop for cerberus, prompter, tempter, seducer, seductor, instigator, firebrand, incendiary, siren, circe, agent provocateur, lobbyist

V. induce, move, draw, draw on, bring in its train, give an impulse, to, inspire, put up to, prompt, call up, attract, beckon, stimulate, spirit up, inspirit, rouse, arouse, animate, incite, foment, provoke, instigate, set on, actuate, act upon, work upon, operate upon, encourage, pat on the back, pat on the shoulder, clap on the back, clap on the shoulder, influence, weigh with, bias, sway, incline, dispose, predispose, turn the scale, inoculate, lead by the nose, have influence with, have influence over, have influence upon, exercise influence with, exercise influence over, exercise influence upon, go round, come round one, turn the head, magnetize, lobby, persuade, prevail with, prevail upon, overcome, carry, bring round to one's senses, bring to one's senses, draw over, win over, gain over, come over, talk over, procure, enlist, engage, invite, court, tempt, seduce, overpersuade, entice, allure, captivate, fascinate, bewitch, carry away, charm, conciliate, wheedle, coax, lure, inveigle, tantalize, cajole, tamper with, bribe, suborn, grease the palm, bait with a silver hook, gild the pill, make things pleasant, put a sop into the pan, throw a sop to, bait the hook, enforce, force, impel, propel, whip, lash, goad, spur, prick, urge, egg on, hound, hurry on, drag, exhort, advise, call upon &c. press, advocate, set an example, set the fashion, keep in countenance, be persuaded &c, yield to temptation, come round, concede, obey a call, follow advice, follow the bent, follow the dictates of, act on principle

Adj. impulsive, motive, suasive, suasory, persuasive, persuasory, hortative, hortatory, protreptical|, inviting, tempting, &c. v, suasive, suasory, seductive, attractive, fascinating, provocative, induced, disposed, persuadable, spellbound, instinct with, smitten with, infatuated, inspired, by

Adv. because, therefore, from this motive, from that motive, for this reason, for that reason, for, by reason of, for the sake of, count of, out of, from, as, forasmuch as, for all the world, on principle

Phr. fax mentis incendium gloriae, "temptation hath a music for all ears" "to beguile many and be beguiled by one"

Undertaking Roget’s Thesaurus §676

N. undertaking, compact, adventure, venture, engagement, enterprise, emprise, pilgrimage, matter in hand, move, first move

V. undertake, engage in, embark in, launch into, plunge into, volunteer, apprentice oneself to, engage, contract, take upon oneself, take upon one's shoulders, devote oneself to, take up, take in hand, tackle, set about, go about, set to, fall to, set to work, launch forth, set up shop, put in hand, put in execution, set forward, break the neck of a business, be in, for, put one's hand to, put one's foot in, betake oneself to, turn one's hand to, go to do, begin, broach, institute &c. one's (originate) 153, put one's hand to the plow, lay one's hand to the plow, put one's shoulder to the wheel, have in hand, have many irons in the fire

Adj. undertaking, on the anvil

Int. here goes

Warfare Roget’s Thesaurus §722

N. warfare, fighting, hostilities, war, arms, the sword, mars, bellona, grim visaged war, horrida bella, bloodshed, appeal to arms, appeal to the sword, ordeal of battle, wager of battle, ultima ratio regum, arbitrament of the sword, battle array, campaign, crusade, expedition, operations, mobilization, state of siege, battlefield, theater of operations, warpath, art of war, tactics, strategy, castrametation, generalship, soldiership, logistics, military evolutions, ballistics, gunnery, chivalry, gunpowder, shot, battle, tug of war, service, campaigning, active service, tented field, kriegspiel, kriegsspiel, fire cross, trumpet, clarion, bugle, pibroch, slogan, war-cry, war-whoop, battle cry, beat of drum, rappel, tom-tom, calumet of war, word of command, password, watchword, passage d-armes, war to the death, war to the knife, guerre a mort, guerre a outrance, open war, internecine war, civil war

V. arm, raise troops, mobilize troops, raise up in arms, take up the cudgels, take up arms, fly to arms, appeal to arms, fly to the sword, draw the sword, unsheathe the sword, dig up the hatchet, dig up the tomahawk, go to war, wage war, 'let slip the dogs of war', cry havoc, kindle the torch of war, light the torch of war, raise one's banner, raise the fire cross, hoist the black flag, throw away, fling away the scabbard, enroll, enlist, take the field, take the law into one's own hands, do battle, give battle, join battle, engage in battle, go to battle, flesh one's sword, set to, fall to, engage, measure swords with, draw the trigger, cross swords, come to blows, come to close quarters, fight, combat, contend, battle with, break a lance with, raise the jolly roger, run up the jolly roger, serve, see service, be on service, be on active service, campaign, wield the sword, shoulder a musket, smell powder, be under fire, spill blood, imbrue the hands in blood, on the warpath, carry on war, carry on hostilities, keep the field, fight the good fight, fight it out, fight like devils, fight one's way, fight hand to hand, sell one's life dearly, pay the ferryman's fee

Adj. contending, contentious, armed, armed to the teeth, armed cap-a-pie, sword in hand, in arms, under arms, up in arms, at war with, bristling with arms, in battle array, in open arms, in the field, embattled, battled, unpacific, unpeaceful, belligerent, combative, armigerous, bellicose, martial, warlike, military, militant, soldier- like, soldierly, chivalrous, strategical, internecine

Adv. flagrante bello, in the thick of the fray, in the cannon's mouth, at the sword's point, at the point of the bayonet

Int. vae victis, to arms, to your tents o israel, phr, the battle rages, a la guerre comme a la guerre, bis peccare in bello non licet, jus gladii, "my voice is still for war", "'tis well that war is so terrible, otherwise we might grow fond of it", "my sentence is for open war", "pride, pomp, and circumstance of glorious war", "the cannons have their bowels full of wrath", "the cannons . . .spit forth their iron indignation", "the fire-eyed maid of smoky war", silent leges inter arma, si vis pacem para bellum

Commission Roget’s Thesaurus §755

N. commission, delegation, # consignment, assignment, procuration, deputation, legation, mission, embassy, agency, agentship, power of attorney, clerkship, surrogacy, errand, charge, brevet, diploma, exequatur, permit, appointment, nomination, designation, return, charter, ordination, installation, inauguration, investiture, swearing-in, accession, coronation, enthronement, vicegerency, regency, regentship, viceroy, consignee, deputy, agent, delegate, consignee

V. commission, delegate, depute, consign, assign, charge, intrust, entrust, commit, commit to the hands of, authorize, put in commission, accredit, engage, hire, bespeak, appoint, name, nominate, return, ordain, install, induct, inaugurate, swear in, invest, crown, enroll, enlist, give power of attorney to, employ, empower, set over, place over, send out, be commissioned, be accredited, represent, stand for, stand in the stead of, stand in the place of, stand in the shoes of

Adj. commissioned

Adv. per procurationem

Promise Roget’s Thesaurus §768

N. promise, undertaking, word, troth, plight, pledge, parole, word of honor, vow, oath, profession, assurance, warranty, guarantee, insurance, obligation, contract, stipulation, engagement, preengagement, affiance, betroth, betrothal, betrothment

V. promise, give a promise, undertake, engage, make an engagement, form an engagement, enter into an engagement, enter on an engagement, bind oneself, tie oneself, pledge oneself, commit oneself, take upon oneself, vow, swear, give one's word, pass one's word, pledge one's word, plight one's word, give one's honor, pass one's honor, pledge one's honor, plight one's honor, give credit, pass credit, pledge credit, plight credit, give troth, pass troth, pledge troth, plight troth, betroth, plight faith, assure, warrant, guarantee, covenant, attest, hold out an expectation, contract an obligation, become bound to, become sponsor for, answer for, be answerable for, secure, give security, underwrite, adjure, administer an oath, put to one's oath, swear a witness

Adj. promising, promissory, votive, under hand and seal, upon oath, promised, affianced, pledged, bound, committed, compromised, in for it

Adv. as one's head shall answer for

Phr. in for a penny in for a pound, ex voto, gage d'amour

Compact Roget’s Thesaurus §769

N. compact, contract, agreement, bargain, # affidation, pact, paction, bond, covenant, indenture, bundobast, deal, stipulation, settlement, convention, compromise, cartel, protocol, treaty, concordat, zollverein, sonderbund, charter, magna charta, progmatic sanction, customs union, free trade region, general agreement on tariffs and trade, gatt, most favored nation status, negotiation, diplomacy, negotiator, ratification, completion, signature, seal, sigil, signet

V. contract, covenant, agree for, engage, treat, negotiate, stipulate, make terms, bargain, make a bargain, strike a bargain, come to terms, come to an understanding, compromise, set at rest, close, close with, conclude, complete, settle, confirm, ratify, clench, subscribe, underwrite, endorse, indorse, put the seal to, sign, seal, indent, take one at one's word, bargain by inch of candle

Adj. agreed, conventional, under hand and seal

Phr. caveat emptor

King James Bible KJV Bible

Berean Standard Bible BSB Bible

1 KJV and 11 BSB verses contain “engage”

Deuteronomy 2:24

Rise ye up, take your journey, and pass over the river Arnon: behold, I have given into thine hand Sihon the Amorite, king of Heshbon, and his land: begin to possess it, and contend with him in battle.

“Arise, set out, and cross the Arnon Valley. See, I have delivered into your hand Sihon the Amorite, king of Heshbon, and his land. Begin to take possession of it and engage him in battle.

Joshua 8:14

And it came to pass, when the king of Ai saw it, that they hasted and rose up early, and the men of the city went out against Israel to battle, he and all his people, at a time appointed, before the plain; but he wist not that there were liers in ambush against him behind the city.

When the king of Ai saw the Israelites, he hurried out early in the morning with the men of the city to engage them in battle at an appointed place overlooking the Arabah. But he did not know that an ambush had been set up against him behind the city.

Joshua 11:20

For it was of the LORD to harden their hearts, that they should come against Israel in battle, that he might destroy them utterly, and that they might have no favour, but that he might destroy them, as the LORD commanded Moses.

For it was of the LORD to harden their hearts to engage Israel in battle, so that they would be set apart for destruction and would receive no mercy, being annihilated as the LORD had commanded Moses.

2 Samuel 18:6

So the people went out into the field against Israel: and the battle was in the wood of Ephraim;

So David’s army marched into the field to engage Israel in the battle, which took place in the forest of Ephraim.

1 Chronicles 19:17

And it was told David; and he gathered all Israel, and passed over Jordan, and came upon them, and set the battle in array against them. So when David had put the battle in array against the Syrians, they fought with him.

When this was reported to David, he gathered all Israel, crossed the Jordan, advanced toward the Arameans, and arrayed for battle against them. When David lined up to engage them in battle, they fought against him.

2 Chronicles 35:22

Nevertheless Josiah would not turn his face from him, but disguised himself, that he might fight with him, and hearkened not unto the words of Necho from the mouth of God, and came to fight in the valley of Megiddo.

Josiah, however, did not turn away from him; instead, in order to engage him in battle, he disguised himself. He did not listen to Neco’s words from the mouth of God, but went to fight him on the Plain of Megiddo.

Jeremiah 30:21

And their nobles shall be of themselves, and their governor shall proceed from the midst of them; and I will cause him to draw near, and he shall approach unto me: for who is this that engaged his heart to approach unto me? saith the LORD.

Their leader will be one of their own, and their ruler will arise from their midst. And I will bring him near, and he will approach Me, for who would dare on his own to approach Me?” declares the LORD.

Ezekiel 18:8

He that hath not given forth upon usury, neither hath taken any increase, that hath withdrawn his hand from iniquity, hath executed true judgment between man and man,

He does not engage in usury or take excess interest, but he withholds his hand from iniquity and executes true justice between men.

Ezekiel 18:13

Hath given forth upon usury, and hath taken increase: shall he then live? he shall not live: he hath done all these abominations; he shall surely die; his blood shall be upon him.

He engages in usury and takes excess interest. Will this son live? He will not! Since he has committed all these abominations, he will surely die; his blood will be on his own head.

Ezekiel 22:12

In thee have they taken gifts to shed blood; thou hast taken usury and increase, and thou hast greedily gained of thy neighbours by extortion, and hast forgotten me, saith the Lord GOD.

In you they take bribes to shed blood. You engage in usury, take excess interest, and extort your neighbors. But Me you have forgotten, declares the Lord GOD.

Daniel 11:40

And at the time of the end shall the king of the south push at him: and the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass over.

At the time of the end, the king of the South will engage him in battle, but the king of the North will storm out against him with chariots, horsemen, and many ships, invading many countries and sweeping through them like a flood.

Luke 14:31

Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand?

Or what king on his way to war with another king will not first sit down and consider whether he can engage with ten thousand men the one coming against him with twenty thousand?