/ɪn'geɪdʒmənt; ɪn`ˇedʒmənt/
n
1 [C] agreement to marry 订婚
*Their engagement was announced in the local paper. 他们订婚的消息已登在当地报纸上.
2 [C] arrangement to go somewhere, meet sb or do sth at a fixed time; appointment 约会
*I have several engagements for next week. 我下周有几个约会.
* The orchestra has several concert engagements. 这管弦乐队已安排好几场音乐会.
3 [C] (fml 文) formal promise or guarantee, esp in writing 正式的承诺或保证（尤指书面形式）
*He doesn't have enough money to meet all his engagements, ie to make the payments he has promised to make. 他无钱偿付承诺的一切债务.
4 [C] (fml 文) battle 战斗; 交战
*The general tried to avoid an engagement with the enemy. 那位将军竭力避免与敌军交战.
5 [U] arrangement to employ; action of engaging 聘用的事宜; 雇用的行动
*the engagement of three new assistants 聘用三名新助手的事.
6 [U] action or result of engaging (parts of a machine, etc) （机器零件等）啮合的动作或结果
*after engagement of the clutch 离合器啮合後.

n

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1【before marriage】
2【arrangement to do something】
3【involvement】
4【fighting】
5【employment】
6【machine parts】

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【BEFORE MARRIAGE】[C]
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)
【ARRANGEMENT TO DO SOMETHING】[C]
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.
【INVOLVEMENT】[U]
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.
【FIGHTING】 [U and C]
technical fighting between armies etc
　military rules of engagement
【EMPLOYMENT】 [U and C]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 .
【MACHINE PARTS】[U]
the fitting together of the working parts of a machine