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# engage

«engage» in Mova's judaism dictionary: **To take part or get involved in something: «engage in a…** — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples, with 1 sentence of Mova's corpora that use it.

### part of speech

verb (engage, engages, engaged, engaging)

### meaning for a pupil

1) To take part or get involved in something: «engage in a discussion». [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/E/engage/#m1)

2) To catch and keep someone's interest or attention: «The story engaged the class.» [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/E/engage/#m2)

3) (formal) To employ someone to do a job: «engage a builder». [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/E/engage/#m3)

4) (of machinery) To fit together and start working: «The gears engage.» [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/E/engage/#m4)

5) (formal) To start fighting with an enemy. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/E/engage/#m5)

6) (formal) To promise or agree to do something. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/E/engage/#m6)

### sense in the lessons

In the Tanakh and Jewish tradition: Here it means to fight bravely in battle. A prophet tells King Amaziah that bravery will not save him if God is against him. Interpretation: The verse is read as teaching that victory comes from God and not from strength or numbers alone. In the primary lessons: In school, teachers try to «engage pupils»; pupils «engage with» a text by thinking about it. In everyday life, «engaged» means promised to marry, and a UK phone or toilet that is «engaged» is busy or occupied. In science and design, gears engage to turn wheels. Phrases: «engage in», «engage with», «engage someone's attention», «engage the brake».

### examples

- But if thou wilt go, and do engage never so valiantly in battle, God will cast thee down before the enemy; for God hath power to help, and to cast down.' (Writings 2CH.25.8, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/E/engage/#x1)
- The teacher used puppets to engage the younger children. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/E/engage/#x2)
- Pupils engaged in a lively debate about school uniform. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/E/engage/#x3)
- (formal) We engaged a plumber to fix the pipe. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/E/engage/#x4)
- When you press the pedal, the gears engage. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/E/engage/#x5)
- Try to engage with the story by asking questions. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/E/engage/#x6)
- The army engaged the enemy at dawn. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/E/engage/#x7)
- The game is so engaging I forgot the time. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/E/engage/#x8)
- But I must tell you I engage my labourers without wages. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/E/engage/#x9)

### note

Adjective forms: «engaged» (busy, or promised to marry) and «engaging» (interesting, charming). Noun: «engagement». Pattern: «engage in + noun/-ing», «engage with + someone/something». Formal compared with «take part».

### In the corpora

- [Being engaged means two people have promised to marry each other, and a ring is often given as a sign of the promise.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/13-dates-engagements-and-weddings/9/)

### Trees and pragmatics

[Every meaning and example of «engage» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/E/engage/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.