engaged

Adjective

• built against or attached to a wall
  • engaged columns
    

• having services contracted for
  • the carpenter engaged (or employed) for the job is sick
    

• (used of toothed parts or gears) interlocked and interacting
  • the gears are engaged
    
  • meshed gears
    
  • intermeshed twin rotors
    

• (of facilities such as telephones or lavatories) unavailable for use by anyone else or indicating unavailability; (`engaged' is a British term for a busy telephone line)
  • her line is busy
    
  • receptionists' telephones are always engaged
    
  • the lavatory is in use
    
  • kept getting a busy signal
    

• reserved in advance

• involved in military hostilities
  • the desperately 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
    

Related words

• Synonyms: 
  meshed , intermeshed , busy , in use(p) , booked , set-aside(p) , occupied