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Engagement

1. The act of engaging, pledging, enlisting, occupying, or entering into contest.

2. The state of being engaged, pledged or occupied; specif, a pledge to take some one as husband or wife.

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. Religion, which is the chief engagement of our league. (Milton)

4. An action; a fight; a battle. In hot engagement with the moors. (Dryden)

5. (Science: machinery) The state of being in gear; as, one part of a clutch is brought into engagement with the other part.

Synonym: vocation, business, employment, occupation, promise, stipulation, betrothal, word, battle, combat, fight, contest, conflict. See battle.

Origin: cf. F. Engagement.