engagement
[noun]
Synonyms:
- appointment, arrangement, commitment, date, meeting
- betrothal, troth (archaic)
- battle, action, combat, conflict, encounter, fight

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Antonyms: disengagement
Related Words: pledge, plight, promise, arrangement, invitation, interview, get-together, meeting, visit

[TahlilGaran] English Synonym Dictionary ▲

en‧gage‧ment /ɪnˈɡeɪdʒmənt/ noun

1. BEFORE MARRIAGE [countable] an agreement between two people to marry, or the period of time they are engaged
engagement of/to
Their engagement was announced in the paper.
Tony was stunned when Lisa suddenly broke off their engagement (=finished it).
engagement ring (=a ring that a man gives a woman to show that they are engaged)

2. ARRANGEMENT TO DO SOMETHING [countable] an official arrangement to do something, especially one that is related to your work
official/public/royal etc engagement
The princess will continue to carry out royal engagements.
This is his only public speaking engagement on the tour.
His excuse of a prior engagement was accepted.

3. INVOLVEMENT [uncountable] when you become involved with someone or something in order to understand them
engagement with/in
a strategy of engagement and cooperation with China
Many students pass without any real engagement in learning.

4. FIGHTING [uncountable and countable] technical fighting between armies etc:
military rules of engagement

5. EMPLOYMENT [uncountable and countable] formal an official arrangement to employ or pay someone to do a particular job:
Please sign to indicate your acceptance of the terms of engagement.

6. MACHINE PARTS [uncountable] the fitting together of the working parts of a machine

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

engagement
noun
I. appointment
ADJ. previous, prior Mrs Spratt regrets that she is unable to attend owing to a previous engagement.
important | business, official, public, social | dinner, lunch
VERB + ENGAGEMENT have | keep It is important that I keep this engagement.
carry out (formal) The prime minister will carry out no official public engagements during the month of August.
cancel, fail to keep The president fell ill and was forced to cancel all public engagements.
ENGAGEMENT + NOUN diary
PREP. ~ with He had an important engagement with his financial adviser.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

engagement
II. agreement to get married
ADJ. long | broken
VERB + ENGAGEMENT announce | break (off)
ENGAGEMENT + NOUN ring
PREP. ~ to He announced his engagement to his long-time girlfriend.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

engagement

announce your engagement (=tell people about it)
The couple are expected to announce their engagement today.
break off your engagement (=suddenly end it)
Were you surprised when Toni broke off your engagement?
long (=a long period between getting engaged and getting married)
Neither of them wanted a long engagement.
short
They were married last month after a short engagement.
engagement ring
Jerry bought her a beautiful sapphire engagement ring.
have an engagement
I don't have any engagements tomorrow.
carry out an engagement
Last year, the princess carried out over 300 official engagements.
cancel an engagement
He instructed his secretary to cancel all his engagements.
an official engagement
This is the Prime Minister's first official engagement since the elections.
a public engagement
She appeared with her husband at many public engagements.
an important engagement
He had an important engagement with his solicitor.
a previous/prior engagement (=one that is already arranged)
I'm sorry I can't be there, but I have a previous engagement.
a speaking engagement (=one in which you give a speech)
I've been turning down speaking engagements to concentrate on writing my memoirs.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲