Forms: α. (6 enguage, 7 engadge), 6– engage. β. 6–8 ingage. [a. F. engage-r, f. en (see EN-1) + gage pledge (see GAGE, WAGE): cf. the equivalents Pr. engatgar, enguatjar, engatjar, It. ingaggiare.
The trans. and refl. senses (exc. 19) approximately follow the senses of Fr. engager; the intr. senses and the trans. sense 19 are of English development.]
I. To deposit or make over as a pledge.
† 1. trans. To pledge or pawn (movable property); to mortgage (lands, houses, etc.). Obs.
1525. Ld. Berners, Froiss., II. cxiii. [cix.] 322. His brother had before that enguaged the thre forsaid castels for florens.
1577. Holinshed, Chron., II. 28. Duke Robert … engaged a portion of his duchie of Normandie to his youngest brother Henrie for a great sum of gold.
1581. Lambarde, Eiren., II. vii. (1588), 280. The Ciuilians doe adiudge it theft, if one (that laieth his goods to pledge) do embesell them from the partie to whom they were engaged.
1624. Capt. Smith, Virginia, I. 3. For an armour he would haue ingaged vs a bagge of pearle.
1669. Penn, No Cross, xviii. § 9. Persons, who by their Excess … have deeply engaged their Estates.
2. fig. To pledge, offer as a guarantee (one’s life, honor, etc.); also, to expose to risk, compromise. rare in mod. use.
1568. North, trans. Gueuara’s Diall of Princes (1619), 709. I … admonish the … Officers of Princes not to sell, chaunge, nor engage their liberties as they doe [etc.].
1599. Daniel, Civ. Wares, V. The Queene perceiuing in what case she stoode, To lose her Minion, or ingage her State.
1600. Shaks., A. Y. L., V. iv. 172. This to be true, I do engage my life.
1631. Heywood, Maid West, II. III. Wks. 1874, II. 378. My honour, faith and country are ingag’d.
1655–60. Stanley, Hist. Philos. (1701), 477/1. All this we say without engaging our Opinion (or judgment).
1677. Govt. Venice, 63. By a ridiculous Custom this Admiral … engages his Life there shall be no Tempest that day.
1776. Gibbon, Decl. & F., I. xviii. 493. Others had engaged their doubtful fidelity to the emperor.
1855. Cdl. Wiseman, Fabiola, 238. But my honour is engaged.
II. To bind or secure by a pledge.
† 3. To make (a person) security for a payment, the fulfilment of an undertaking, etc.; ‘to render liable for a debt to a creditor’ (J.). Obs.
1596. Shaks., Merch. V., III. ii. 264. I haue ingag’d my selfe to a deere friend, Ingag’d my friend to his meere enemie To feede my meanes.
1639. Massinger, Unnat. Combat, III. iii. Yet detain from us The debt … We have made you stand engaged for.
1651. Hobbes, Leviath., II. xxii. 117. He that lendeth it … understandeth those onely for his debtors, that are engaged.
4. To bind by a contract or formal promise.
1603. Florio, Montaigne (1632), 493. A whole nation hazarding rather to consume, then engage themselves to feminine embracements.
1617. Hieron, Wks., II. 332. These vowes were the solemne promises, by which he … ingaged himselfe to God.
1702. Rowe, Amb. Step-Moth., IV. i. 1644. My Father’s Fate dissolves that Truce to which I stood ingag’d.
1855. Motley, Dutch Rep., V. i. (1866), 659. He declined engaging himself not to recall his foreign soldiery.
b. spec. To bind by a promise of marriage; to betroth. Chiefly pass. and refl. (See also 6 c.)
1727. Fielding, Love in Sev. Masq., Wks. 1775, I. 31. Since nothing else will do, I am engaged by all the strength of vows and honour.
1848. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., I. 648. It was believed … he was engaged to a young lady of gentle blood.
1867. Trollope, Chron. Barset, I. xxx. 257. What would you think of a girl who could engage herself to any man under such circumstances?
c. In mod. use often in pass. with weaker sense: To have promised one’s presence, made an appointment, etc., for any purpose of business or pleasure.
1885. Lucy B. Walford, Nan, &c. I. 79. He has asked Nan [to dance] before, but she was engaged.
Mod. I am engaged for to-morrow, but could dine with you on Monday.
5. [With etymological sense of securing by payment of earnest-money: see GAGE, WAGE.]
a. To hire, secure the services of (a servant, workman, agent, etc.). Also refl. of a servant, etc.: To enter into an agreement for service.
1753. Hanway, Travels (1762), I. Introd. 13. A british subject who engaged himself as a factor to the russia company.
1860. Tyndall, Glac., I. § 24. 169. Balmat was engaged at this time as the guide of Mr. Alfred Wills.
1862. Trollope, Orley F., xiii. 100. We have engaged the services of Mr. Aram.
1876. Green, Short Hist., vi. § 6 (1882), 325. Thomas Cromwell … was certainly engaged as the commercial agent to one of the Venetian merchants.
Mod. He has engaged himself to an engineer.
b. To bespeak or secure (something) for one’s own or another’s use or possession.
1795. Southey, Lett. fr. Spain (1799), 10. The boxes [in the theatre] are engaged by the season.
1820. Moorcroft, Trav. (1841), I. 199. I laid in a considerable quantity of wheat flour at Tandi, and engaged carriers and ponies for its transport.
Mod. I have engaged rooms at the hotel. This seat is engaged. Engage places for us in the coach.
6. intr. for refl. (in senses 4, 5). a. gen. To pledge oneself; to enter into a covenant or undertaking. Const. to with inf., or subordinate clause; † rarely into, unto, with sb. as obj. Also, to ‘warrant,’ pledge one’s credit, assert on one’s own responsibility that.
1613. R. C., Table Alph. (ed. 3), Ingage, lay to pledge, binde himselfe.
1647. Fuller, Good Th. in Worse T. (1841), 127. How proper the remedy for the malady I engage not.
1649. Bp. Reynolds, Hosea, iv. 57. A manifestation of that love in some promise or other, ingageing unto assistance.
1650. Nicholas Papers (1886), I. 184. His Lordship … was to engadge it should be repaid in that time [3 yeares].
1661. Papers on Alter. Prayer-bk., 100. Renouncing the flesh, &c. And ingageing into the Christian belief.
1672. Cave, Prim. Chr., III. iv. (1673), 335. When Christ promises so much to them who engage with him.
1720. Col. Rec. Pennsylv., III. 100. Our Indians have repeatedly engaged to me that they would go no more out to War.
1751. Johnson, Rambler, No. 118, ¶ 9. The man … has no other care than to collect interest, to estimate securities, and to engage for mortgages.
1787. T. Jefferson, Writ. (1859), II. 303. The court of London engaged not to abandon Prussia.
1869. Freeman, Norm. Conq., III. xii. 242. Harold further engaged to give his sister in marriage to an unnamed Norman noble.
1878. Browning, Poets Croisic, xviii. Croisic, I’ll engage, With Rome yields sort for sort, in age for age.
b. To engage for: to be answerable for, guarantee; later, to undertake to perform, to promise. Rarely in indirect passive.
a. 1680. Butler, Rem. (1759), II. 70. Some near Friend … engaged for his Honesty and good Behaviour.
1708. Swift, Sacram. Test. How chearfully they engaged for the safety of the nation.
1727. A. Hamilton, New Acc. E. Ind., II. xxxviii. 68. He could not engage for their [Fakires’] Safety among his Countrymen.
1748. Richardson, Clarissa (1811), IV. 348. Her wishes … were gently intimated, and as readily engaged for.
1796. Jane Austen, Pride & Prej., i. (1813), I. 4. It is more than I engage for, I assure you.
1866. Carlyle, Inaug. Addr., 171. That is pretty much all I can engage for.
† c. To betroth oneself (see 4 b.). Obs. rare.
1722. De Foe, Relig. Courtsh., I. i. (1840), 9. She will know how it is as to that, before she engages.
d. To agree with a servant, workman or employé for hired service. Occas. with indirect pass. (Mostly superseded by 5 a.)
1791. Smeaton, Edystone L. (1793), § 309. Till proper persons could be engaged with and sent off.
1825. T. Cosnett, Footman’s Directory, 217. Many ladies and gentlemen will not engage with any one who does not know town well.
e. Of a servant, etc.: To take service (with a master or employer). Cf. 5 a.
Mod. Before I engage with another master, I will, etc.
7. trans. In wider sense: To bind by moral or legal obligation. Const. to with sb. or inf.
164[?]. Chas. I., Answ. Earles of Bristol & Dorset, 5. The municipall and fundamentall Lawes of that Nation ingage the Subject to … strictnesse of obedience.
1659. Hammond, On Ps. xviii. 1. Paraphr. 94. I stand ingaged, most passionately to love, and bless, and magnifie thee.
1672. Grew, Anat. Plants, Idea Philos. Hist. Pl., § 8 (1682), 4. The present Design will ingage us, to an accurate and multifarious Observation of Plants.
† b. To lay under obligations of gratitude; to oblige. Const. to (a person), or simply. Obs.
1626. D’Ewes, in Ellis, Orig. Lett., I. 322, III. 214. By which I assure my selfe further ingaged, then by your most kind acknowledgement anye way discharged.
1631. Heywood, Maid West, II. III. Wks. 1874, II. 376. Good gentlemen Ingage me so far to you.
1648. Cromwell, Lett., 8 March (Carlyle). I am engaged to you for all your civilities.
1655–60. Stanley, Hist. Philos. (1701), 101/1. If thou protect him, thou wilt preserve our friend and infinitely engage us.
† c. In pass.: To be ‘committed’ to (certain opinions). Obs.
1677. Hale, Prim. Orig. Man., IV. vi. 339. They are destitute of any satisfactory Evidence, to any person that is not strangely and impotently engaged to them.
8. To urge, exhort, persuade, induce; said both of persons and of motives, etc. In 18th c. often approaching the sense of Fr. engager ‘to invite.’ Now rare.
1647. Sprigge, Anglia Rediv., IV. vii. (1854), 280. That all may be rather convinced and engaged by argument and truth.
1667. Milton, P. L., IX. 963. O … example high! Ingaging me to emulate.
1716–8. Lady M. W. Montague, Lett., I. xxii. 66. Her highness … when I left her, engaged me to write to her.
1761. Hume, Hist. Eng., I. viii. 166. He engaged the grand-master of the templars by large presents … to put him in possession of Gisors.
1791. Smeaton, Edystone L. (1793), § 313. The high wages … did not engage them to secure themselves with a sufficient stock of provisions.
1839. Keightley, Hist. Eng., I. 105. He … engaged them to declare in his favour.
1862. Kington, Fredk. II., II. xiii. 171. Enzio had engaged the Castle … to surrender.
† b. with sb. of action as obj. Obs.
1742. Johnson, L. P., Sydenham. The author which gave him most pleasure, and most engaged his imitation.
9. To gain, win over, as an adherent or helper. Cf. 5 a. arch.
1697. Potter, Antiq. Greece, III. vii. (1715), 65. Whom Paris had engag’d to his Party by a large Sum of Money.
1741. Watts, Improv. Mind, I. i. § 15. 26. And even in common Studies we should by Humility and Dependence engage the God of Truth on our Side.
1751. Johnson, Rambler, No. 95, ¶ 19. Such is the hazard of … engaging reason against its own determinations. Ibid. (1779), L. P., Blackmore, Wks. III. 174. To engage poetry in the cause of virtue.
1817. Jas. Mill, Brit. India, II. V. ii. 372. For the sake of the bribes with which the Duan took care to engage him.
† b. To secure for oneself (help, sympathy, approval). Obs.
1725. Pope, Odyss., XIII. 345, III. 215.
| Who taught thee arts, Alcinous to persuade, | |
| To raise his wonder, and engage his aid. |
1748. Richardson, Clarissa (1811), I. ii. 8. Those whose approbation we wish to engage.
10. To attach by pleasing qualities; to attract, charm, fascinate. Cf. 14. Also absol. Now rare; cf. ENGAGING ppl. a.
1706. Prior, Ode, ix. in Misc. Poems, III. 260 (J.). When Beauty ceases to engage.
1711. Addison, Spect., No. 106, ¶ 3. This Humanity and Good-nature engages every Body to him.
1751. Chesterf., Lett., III. ccxlv. 126. If you engage his heart, you have a fair chance for imposing upon his understanding.
1773. Johnson, Lett., 6 Sept. (1788), I. 126. She engaged me so much that I made her a present of Cocker’s arithmetick.
1784. Cowper, Tiroc., 147. If books that could engage Their childhood, pleased them at a riper age.
1814. Chalmers, Evid. Chr. Revel., i. 22. Their heart is engaged by the amiable morality [of the gospel].
a. 1876. J. H. Newman, Hist. Sk., I. II. iv. 257. Cicero engages our affections by the integrity of his public conduct.
III. To cause to be held fast; to involve, entangle.
[The physical sense 11 (adopted from Fr.) appears to be a development from the sense ‘to put in pledge’ = 1. Senses 12–16 are chiefly fig. applications of 11, but often influenced by the notion of branch II.]
11. In physical senses.
a. To entangle, e.g., in a snare or net, in a bog. Obs. or arch.
1602. Shaks., Ham., III. iii. 69. Oh limed soule, that strugling to be free, Art more ingag’d.
1603. Florio, Montaigne (1632), 266. The Barble fishes, if one of them chance to be engaged.
1652. J. Wordsworth, trans. Sandoval’s Civil Wars of Spain, 362. The Foot stuck fast, engaged in the mire to the very knees.
1697. Dryden, Virg. Georg., III. 625/114. Thou may’st … beamy Stags in Toyls engage.
fig. 1631. Heywood, London’s Jus Hon., B i b. Upon them stand Two dangerous rocks, your safety to ingage.
1638. Ford, Fancies, V. i. Those ties of nature … How much they do engage.
1671. Milton, P. R., III. 347. That thou may’st know I seek not to engage Thy virtue.
b. Arch. To fasten, attach. In pass. of a pillar: To be let into (a wall), so as to be partly enclosed. See ENGAGED 2.
1766. Smollett, Trav., 94. Twelve columns engaged in the wall.
1776. G. Semple, Building in Water, 4. I did not engage them to the Brace Beams.
1849. Ruskin, Sev. Lamps, iii. § 10. 73. The lowest with its pillars engaged.
1865. Athenæum, No. 1947. 230/3. The columns are ‘engaged’ to the square outer piers.
1877. Amelia B. Edwards, Up Nile, xviii. 495. Engaged in the brickwork on either side of the principal entrance to this hall are two stone door-jambs.
c. Mech. (intr. for refl.) of a portion of machinery, as a cog-wheel, etc.: To interlock with, fit into a corresponding part.
1884. Pall Mall Gaz., 28 Aug., 5/2. Engages with the cylinder and locks it for firing.
12. † a. trans. To cause (esp. an armed force) to penetrate into the interior of a country, into a defile, mountain pass, etc. (so as render withdrawal difficult); also refl. (obs.). b. intr. † To enter into a country, etc. (obs.); to involve oneself in (an intricate path, etc.).
1645. Cromwell, Lett., 9 April (Carlyle). Lest we should engage our Body of Horse too far into that enclosed country.
1686–7. Burnet, Trav., iii. (1750), 166. We engage into that Range of Hills that carry the Name of Apennines.
1693. Mem. Cnt. Teckely, IV. 55. The hardness of the Season, which hindered him from engaging himself further into Transilvania.
1854. Thackeray, Newcomes, I. 127. Mr. Bayham made an abrupt tack larboard, engaging in a labyrinth of stables.
† 13. To entangle, involve, commit, mix up (in an undertaking, quarrel, etc.). Const. in, less often into, to, with. Obs.
a. 1586. Sidney, Arcadia, II. (1590), 183 b (J.). So farre had we engaged our selues, (vnfortunate soules) that we listed not complaine.
1625. Bacon, Ess. Travel (Arb.), 523. They will engage him into their owne Quarels.
1635. Evelyn, Mem. (1857), I. 8. When she perceived the peril whereto its excess had engaged her.
1662–3. Sir C. Lyttelton, in Hatton Corr. (1878), 29. For I was deeply engaged wth him upon a planting interest.
a. 1680. Butler, Rem. (1759), I. 217.
| These Follies had such Influence on the Rabble, | |
| As to engage them in perpetual Squabble. |
a. 1714. Burnet, Own Time (1823), I. 440. Into this the King of Sweden, then a child, was engaged: so it was called the triple alliance.
1727. Swift, To Very Young Lady. To engage you, by his insinuations, in misunderstanding with your best friends.
1734. trans. Rollin’s Anc. Hist. (1827), VII. XVII. 272. He had engaged his city in the Achæan league.
† b. intr. for refl. To entangle, involve or mix oneself up. Const. in, less often among, into. Obs.
1657. S. W., Schism Dispach’t, 567. Yet hee will needs have mee engage into such questions.
a. 1667. Cowley, Obscurity. If we engage into a large Acquaintance … we set open our gates to the Invaders of most of our time.
1750. Johnson, Rambler, No. 36, ¶ 3. Much earlier than we engage among the actions and passions of mankind.
1796. Morse, Amer. Geog., II. 208. The nation again engaged in debt.
14. trans. To attract and hold fast (attention, interest); formerly also with personal obj., ‘to hold by the attention’ (J.). Cf. 10.
1642. Fuller, Holy & Prof. St., IV. x. 286. Their Auditours, generally as engaged as the Disputants, will succour their Champion with partiall relations.
1691–8. Norris, Pract. Disc., IV. 221. Nothing … fit to stay or ingage a Soul that is capable of Enjoying God.
1711. Shaftesb., Charac., i. (1737), III. 351. He admires, he contemplates; but is not yet ingag’d or interested.
1712. Steele, Spect., No. 503, ¶ 2. Her form … engaged the eyes of the whole congregation in an instant.
1773. Mrs. Chapone, Improv. Mind (1774), I. 2. I will hope that your attention may be engaged, by Truths of the highest importance.
1832. Ht. Martineau, Life in Wilds, Pref. 12. Will impress the memory and engage the interest.
15. trans. To provide occupation for, employ (a person, his powers, thoughts, efforts, etc.). Now nearly always passive. Formerly also, † to make use of (an instrument).
1648. Gage, West Ind., xx. (1655), 157. Beginning now to repent me of what I was now ingaged in.
1651. Life Father Sarpi (1676), p. lxxxix. It would be necessary to engage a volume of praises.
1677. Moxon, Mech. Exerc. (1703), 219. The Iron Pin in the Hole of the Beam kept it to its due distance from the Center; so that neither hand was ingaged to guide it.
1678. Bunyan, Pilgr., I. Author’s Apol. Behold how he ingageth all his Wits.
a. 1680. Butler, Rem. (1759), X. 5. Both Armies … Are in a bloody Fight engag’d.
1756. C. Lucas, Ess. Waters, II. 31. It [is] a question which has engaged better heads and pens than mine.
1815. W. H. Ireland, Scribbleomania, 242, note. Mr. Dibdin is engaged in writing a list of the classical library of the Earl of Spencer.
a. 1847. Mrs. Sherwood, Lady of Manor, IV. xxvi. 246. I contrived to seem engaged with my guitar.
1864. J. H. Newman, Apologia, App. 11. Many of them are engaged on one subject, viz. in viewing the Church in its relation to the world.
1872. Raymond, Statist. Mines & Mining, 306. Producing excellent milling ore at a handsome profit to the men engaged in it.
16. intr. for refl. ‘To embark in any business’ (J.); to enter upon or employ oneself in an action. Const. in, formerly on, upon, and simply. Cf. 13 b.
1646. Charles I., Church Govt. (1849), 43. I will not engage upon new questions not necessary for my purpose.
1671. Gumble, Life Monck, 11. In whatsoever condition he had engaged, he had found or made a great Fortune.
1672. Petty, Pol. Anat. (1691), 47. The restored Irish … will be careful how they engage any more upon a frivolous, impious Undertaking.
1732. Berkeley, Serm., Wks. III. 241. Those who at this day engage in the propagation of the gospel.
1749. Chesterf., Lett., II. ccvii. 292. He engaged young and distinguished himself in business.
1825. Southey, Paraguay, IV. vi. Not desiring to engage Upon the busy world’s contentious stage.
1830. R. Knox, Béclard’s Anat., Introd. 18. He had … engaged deeply in the study of languages.
1848. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., I. 191. The government engaged in war with the United Provinces.
1875. Jowett, Plato (ed. 2), I. 364. If I had engaged in politics, I should have perished long ago.
IV. With reference to combat. [Specialized uses of III.]
17. trans. Of combatants: To interlock (weapons). Cf. Fr. engager le fer, to cross swords. Also absol., as To engage in tierce, in quart.
1697. Dryden, Virg. Georg., III. 340/106. The stooping Warriours … Engage their clashing Horns.
1833. [See ENGAGING vbl. sb.]
1889. J. M. Waite, Sabre, Singlestick, &c. 101. A man thus armed engages in quarte or tierce.
18. a. trans. To bring (troops) into conflict with the enemy. b. To engage a combat (rare; after Fr. engager le combat). c. intr. for refl.: To enter into combat (with); also fig.
a. 1868. E. Edwards, Ralegh, I. ii. 30. [They] could scarcely have reached the camp before they found themselves engaged with the enemy.
Mod. He had taken care not to engage the whole of his troops.
b. 1855. Motley, Dutch Rep., V. v. (1866), 748. The mortal combat between the Inquisition and the Reformation was already fully engaged. Ibid., VI. i. 770. The fierce combat had already been engaged in the darkness.
c. 1647. Clarendon, Hist. Reb. (1702), II. 94. The Earl of Holland was sent with a Body of three thousand Horse … to meet it [a Party of the Scots army], and Engage with it.
1697. Dryden, Virg. Georg., I. 509/64. East and West ingage, And at their Frontiers meet. Ibid., III. 418/108. Ev’n the fearful Stag dares for his Hind engage.
1762–71. H. Walpole, Vertue’s Anecd. Paint. (1786), II. 239. On the outside is Fairfax himself on his chestnut horse, men engaging at a distance.
1783. Crabbe, Village, I. Wks. 1834, II. 81. That hoary swain, whose age Can with no cares except its own engage.
1823. Southey, Hist. Penins. War, I. 102. The mob … did not venture to engage against musketry and cannon with their knives.
1837. Ht. Martineau, Soc. Amer., III. 59. One day he met a man muffled in a cloak, who engaged with him … and stabbed him.
19. trans. (= ‘to engage with’: see 18.) To attack, enter into a combat with (an army, a ship); also (now rarely) fig.
1698–9. Ludlow, Mem., I. 47. We lost … a favourable opportunity of engaging the enemy.
1704. Hearne, Duct. Hist. (1714), I. 365. Tarquin … engaged the Romans, and was defeated.
1709. Pope, Ess. Crit., 556. These monsters, Critics! with your darts engage.
1709. Lond. Gaz., No. 4547/2. He … was obliged to engage her to Leeward.
1748. Anson, Voy., II. xi. 252. We had not been inattentive to the means of engaging her to advantage.
1786. T. Jefferson, Writ. (1859), I. 549. I have engaged the abuses of the tobacco trade on a more general scale.
1839. Keightley, Hist. Eng., I. 68. On the right bank of this river they were engaged (Sept. 20) by the earls Edwin and Morcar.
