engagement
    n 1: a hostile meeting of opposing military forces in the course
         of a war; "Grant won a decisive victory in the battle of
         Chickamauga"; "he lost his romantic ideas about war when he
         got into a real engagement" [syn: battle, conflict,
         fight, engagement]
    2: a meeting arranged in advance; "she asked how to avoid
       kissing at the end of a date" [syn: date, appointment,
       engagement]
    3: a mutual promise to marry [syn: betrothal, troth,
       engagement]
    4: the act of giving someone a job [syn: employment,
       engagement]
    5: employment for performers or performing groups that lasts for
       a limited period of time; "the play had bookings throughout
       the summer" [syn: engagement, booking]
    6: contact by fitting together; "the engagement of the clutch";
       "the meshing of gears" [syn: engagement, mesh, meshing,
       interlocking]
    7: the act of sharing in the activities of a group; "the teacher
       tried to increase his students' engagement in class
       activities" [syn: engagement, participation,
       involvement, involution] [ant: non-engagement, non-
       involvement, nonparticipation]

Engagement \En*gage"ment\, n. [Cf. F. engagement.]
   1. The act of engaging, pledging, enlisting, occupying, or
      entering into contest.
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   2. The state of being engaged, pledged or occupied; specif.,
      a pledge to take some one as husband or wife.
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   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.
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            Religion, which is the chief engagement of our
            league.                               --Milton.
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   4. (Mil.) An action; a fight; a battle.
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            In hot engagement with the Moors.     --Dryden.
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   5. (Mach.) The state of being in gear; as, one part of a
      clutch is brought into engagement with the other part.

   Syn: Vocation; business; employment; occupation; promise;
        stipulation; betrothal; word; battle; combat; fight;
        contest; conflict. See Battle.
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