to engage

[Anachronist]

Hi,

I have problems with the word "engage" and it`s forms "engaging, engagement".

In my vovabulary lesson it has just the meanings:

to engage: to bind (as oneself) to do something; especially : to bind by a pledge to marry

to be engaged: to be binded by a pledge to marry

engagement: the pledge to marry

I was quite sure that I had read some sentences with "engage" in complete other meanings before and so I went to this url :

http://m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionary?book=Dictionary&va=engage&x=0&y=0

And I was right. My new problem ist to select the meanings I should try to learn. There are just so many of them and I do not know which of them are important and which are not. I guess at least the meaning simmilar to "to involve" is very important one but I`m quite unsure about it. Can someone help me to select the most important meanings please :) ?

thanks

Jörg

[Rusty]

(These are the most common definitions).
4 a : to provide occupation for : INVOLVE <engage him in a new project> b : to arrange to obtain the use or services of : HIRE
5 a : to hold the attention of : ENGROSS <her work engages her completely> b : to induce to participate <engaged the shy boy in conversation>
Intransitive verb:
2 a : to begin and carry on an enterprise or activity <engaged in trade for a number of years>
4 : to come together and interlock (as of machinery parts) : be or become in gear

[Anonymous]

thank you very much :) Now i just have to translate that in some short German words ;)

Jörg