different between engagement vs engaged

English

Etymology

From French engagement.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?n??e?d??.m?nt/
• Hyphenation: en?gage?ment

Noun

engagement (countable and uncountable, plural engagements)

1. (countable) An appointment, especially to speak or perform.

   The lecturer has three speaking engagements this week.

2. (uncountable) Connection or attachment.

   Check the gears for full engagement before turning the handle.

3. (uncountable, by extension, about human emotional state) The feeling of being compelled, drawn in, connected to what is happening, interested in what will happen next.
4. (countable, uncountable) The period of time when marriage is planned or promised.

   We are enjoying a long engagement, but haven't yet set a date.

5. (countable, uncountable) In any situation of conflict, an actual instance of active hostilities.

   The engagement resulted in many casualties.

6. (fencing, countable) The point at which the fencers are close enough to join blades, or to make an effective attack during an encounter.

   After engagement it quickly became clear which of the fencers was going to prevail.

Synonyms

• commitment
• action

Antonyms

• apathy

• disengagement

Derived terms

• engagement ring
• disengagement

Related terms

• engage

Translations

See also

• battle
• campaign

References

French

Etymology

engager +? -ment.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /??.?a?.m??/

Noun

engagement m (plural engagements)

1. commitment
2. engagement

Further reading

• “engagement” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

Norman

Etymology

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Noun

engagement m (plural engagements)

1. (Jersey) engagement

English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?n??e?d?d/, /?n??e?d?d/

Verb

engaged

1. simple past tense and past participle of engage

Adjective

engaged (not comparable)

1. Agreed to be married.
2. Busy or employed.
3. Greatly interested.
4. (Britain) (of a telephone) Already involved in a telephone call when a third party calls

   I tried calling, but she (or her phone) was engaged.

5. (architecture, of a column) attached to a wall or sunk into it halfway
6. (of gears or cogs) in contact and in operation
7. (military) being attacked or attacking
8. (medicine, of a foetus) Having the widest part of its presenting part, usually the head, enter the pelvic brim or inlet.
9. Synonym of engagé (“passionately committed to a cause”)
   • 2002, Maria Lauret, Liberating Literature (page 81)

     Black and white women writers assumed their mantle as engaged writers, as cultural and political critics.

Synonyms

• (of a telephone): (US) busy

Related terms

• engage
• engagement

Translations

See also

• (agreed to be married): fiancée, fiancé