en·gage /ɪnˈɡeɪdʒ/ ●○○ verb formal 1 [intransitiveI always + prepositionprep] to be doing or to become involved in an activity 参加,参与〔活动〕engage in/on/upon Only 10% of American adults engage in regular exercise. 只有10%的美国成年人定期进行锻炼。
The two parties engaged upon an escalating political struggle. 两党之间的政治斗争日益加剧。
Mr Armstrong was engaged in prayer. 阿姆斯特朗先生在祷告。
engage in doing something Despite her illness, she remains actively engaged in shaping policy. 尽管有病在身,她还是积极参与政策的制定。
2 [transitiveT]BUSY/NOT AVAILABLE to attract someone’s attention and keep them interested 吸引〔某人的兴趣〕engage somebody’s interest/attention The toy didn’t engage her interest for long. 这个玩具对她的吸引力没有维持多久。
engage somebody in conversation (=start talking to them) 开始与某人攀谈
3 engage with somebody/something formal to get involved with other people and their ideas in order to understand them 与某人/某事物建立密切关系 Are you so tired you don’t have the energy to engage with your kids? 你难道累得都没有精力陪你的孩子们了吗?
4 [transitiveT]BEJOB/WORK formal to employ someone to do a particular job 雇用,聘请engage somebody to do something Her father engaged a tutor to improve her maths. 她爸爸请了一位家庭教师给她补习数学。
engage somebody as something We’d be able to engage local people as volunteers. 我们可以请当地人做志愿者。
5 T[intransitiveI, transitiveT] if you engage part of a machine, or if it engages, it moves so that it fits into another part of the machine (使)〔机器〕啮合,接合 OPP disengage She engaged the clutch and the car moved. 她踩下离合器,汽车便开动了。
engage with The wheel engages with the cog and turns it. 轮子咬住轮齿并带动它转动。
6 [intransitiveI, transitiveT]PMFIGHT to begin to fight an enemy 与〔敌人〕开战 American forces did not directly engage. 美军没有直接参战。