engage

Multiple Entries:
  engage    engagé  

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
engage/ɪnˈɡeɪʤ/

▶verb

• 1 attract or involve (someone's interest or attention).

• 2 employ or hire.

  ■ enter into a contract to do.

• 3 (engage in/with) participate or become involved in.

• 4 (with reference to a part of a machine or engine) move into position so as to come into operation.

• 5 enter into combat with.

  ■ (of fencers or swordsmen) bring (weapons) together preparatory to fighting.

– origin ME (orig. in the sense ‘pawn or pledge something’): from Fr. engager, ult. from the base of gage1.

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
engagé /ˌɒ̃gaˈʒeɪ/

▶adjective (of a writer or artist) morally committed to a particular cause.

– origin Fr., past part. of engager (see engage).