engaged
/in'geidʤd/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Adjective:
- Committed to be married: Describes someone who has formally agreed to marry another person.
- Busy, occupied, or involved: Describes a person whose attention, time, or energy is fully taken by an activity or conversation.
- In use; unavailable: Describes a facility, such as a telephone line or restroom, that is currently being used by someone else.
- Interlocked or meshed: Describes mechanical parts, especially gears, that are connected and interacting.
- Involved in conflict: Describes military forces or units that are actively fighting.
- Attached to a wall: Describes an architectural feature, like a column, that is partly built into a wall.
Usage Examples
- Committed to be married:
- They got engaged last summer and are planning a wedding for next year.
- She is engaged to a doctor.
- Busy, occupied, or involved:
- The manager is currently engaged in a meeting.
- He was so deeply engaged in his book that he didn't hear the doorbell.
- In use; unavailable:
- I tried to call, but the line was engaged. (British English)
- The bathroom is engaged; please wait a moment.
- Interlocked or meshed:
- Make sure the gears are fully engaged before starting the machine.
- Involved in conflict:
- The two engaged armies fought for control of the hill.
- Attached to a wall:
- The porch features two engaged columns.
Advanced Usage
- "to be engaged in/with something": to be actively involved or occupied with a task, subject, or activity.
- The company is engaged in developing new sustainable technologies.
- She is engaged with the local community on several projects.
- "to become engaged": to enter into a formal agreement to be married.
- They became engaged after dating for three years.
Variants and Related Words
- Engage (verb): To participate, to hire, to interlock, or to attract and hold attention.
- The teacher's story managed to engage the entire class.
- Engagement (noun):
- The period when two people are engaged to be married.
- Their engagement lasted two years.
- A formal arrangement to do something, or a fight/battle.
- She has a prior engagement.
- The military engagement was brief but intense.
- Engaging (adjective): Charming, attractive, or holding interest.
- He has a very engaging personality.
Synonyms
- Betrothed (adj): Formally pledged to be married. (More formal/archaic)
- Occupied (adj): Busy or in use.
- Meshed (adj): (For gears) fitted together.
- Committed (adj): Dedicated or pledged.
- Unavailable (adj): Not free for use.
Related Phrasal Verbs / Phrases
- Engage in: To participate or become involved in an activity.
- He refuses to engage in gossip.
- Engage with: To interact with or pay attention to someone or something.
- Politicians must learn to engage with young voters.
Related Idioms
- (To have) an engaged tone/signal: (British English) The sound indicating a telephone line is busy.
- All I got was an engaged tone when I tried to call.
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