engage Copy link Outline A. Trans.I. To make liable legallyII. To promise one's companyIII. To hireIV. To involve in an undertakingV. To attractVI. To occupyB. Intrans.I. To join battle with1. conflīgo, xi, ctum, 3 (usu. with prep. cum and abl.)2. congrĕdior, gressus, 3 (also with cum)3. dīmĭco, 1II. To promise, undertake1. rĕcĭpio, cēpi, ceptum, 3 (implying that the person so doing takes the full responsibility upon himself2. spondeo, spŏpondi, sponsum, 2 (prop. only of a legal engagement)3. stĭpŭlor, 1 (of a formal engagement, by question and answer, and strictly used of the interrogator, as spondeo was used of the answerer, Gell. 4, 4)4. comprōmitto, mīsi, ssum, 3 (of two parties who e. to abide by a decision)III. To e. in; to enter upon1. ingrĕdior, gressus, 32. suscĭpio, cēpi, ceptum, 33. ŏbeo, 4, irr. • engage: A. Trans.: I. To make liable legally: oblĭgo, obstringo: v. to bind, pledge. II. To promise one's company: Phr.: to e. oneself to dinner, ad coenam promittere, Pl.: in which sense Cic. has promitto absol., de Or. 2, 7, 27; ad coenam condicere, Pl.; also absol., having e.d himself to me, quum mihi condixisset, Cic. Fam. 1, 9, 7. III. To hire: condūco, 3: v. to hire. IV. To involve in an undertaking: impĕdio, implĭco: v. to involve. V. To attract: Phr.: to e. the attention of all, omnium oculos in se convertere: v. attention (I. Phr.). VI. To occupy: Phr.: to e. a person in conversation, sermonem cum aliquo instituere, Cic. de Or. 2, 73, 296; cum aliquo sermonem occipere (al. incipere), Ter. Eun. 4, 1, 8: more precisely, *aliquem sermone occupatum tenere. B. Intrans.: I. To join battle with: 1. conflīgo, xi, ctum, 3 (usu. with prep. cum and abl.): he e.d in battle with him at Zama, cum eodem apud Zamam conflixit, Nep.: Liv.: Cic. (the latter has also manu, armis confligere, where the context requires closer definition, cf. Off. 1, 23, 81: "temere in acie versari et manu cum hoste confligere"). 2. congrĕdior, gressus, 3 (also with cum): that he might e. in battle with him in greater strength, quo (cum eo) valentior congrederetur, Nep. Hann. 6: also congredi praelio, Caes.; acie, Tac. 3. dīmĭco, 1: v. engagement. Phr.: the Gauls e.d in battle with Fonteius, Galli cum Fonteio ferrum ac manum contulerunt, Cic.: to e. at close quarters, pugnam conserere, Liv. II. To promise, undertake: 1. rĕcĭpio, cēpi, ceptum, 3 (implying that the person so doing takes the full responsibility upon himself: often with in and acc. of pron. refl.): I promise and e. that he will prove, etc., promitto inque me recipio, fore eum, etc., Cic. Fam. 13, 10, ad fin.: I promise, e., and undertake that, etc., promitto, recipio, spondeo fore, etc., Cic. Phil. 5, 18, fin.: also with ad: I e. he shall do it, ad me recipio, faciet, Ter. Heaut. 5, 5, 12. 2. spondeo, spŏpondi, sponsum, 2 (prop. only of a legal engagement): the consuls, ambassadors, quaestors, e.d (that the treaty should be fulfilled): spoponderunt consules, legati, quaestores, Liv. 9, 5: also in non-legal sense, I will e., or rather do e. and undertake, spondebo, vel potius spondeo inque me recipio, Cic. Fam. 13, 17, fin.: and comp. supr.: Plin. jun. has ego mea fide spondeo, 1, 14, fin. 3. stĭpŭlor, 1 (of a formal engagement, by question and answer, and strictly used of the interrogator, as spondeo was used of the answerer, Gell. 4, 4): mutually to e., invicem de se st., Paul. Dig. 19, 2, 54, § 1: cf. ib. 45, 1, 35. 4. comprōmitto, mīsi, ssum, 3 (of two parties who e. to abide by a decision): the candidates have (formally) e.d to conduct their canvass according to his discretion, candidati compromiserunt, petere ejus arbitratu, Cic. Q. Fr. 2, 15, fin.: v. to promise. III. To e. in; to enter upon: 1. ingrĕdior, gressus, 3: to e. in a war, in bellum ing., Cic.: v. TO ENTER UPON. 2. suscĭpio, cēpi, ceptum, 3: v. to undertake. 3. ŏbeo, 4, irr.: to e. in wars, bella ob., Liv.: to e. in agricultural operations, rusticum opus ob., Col. Phr.: to e. in conversation, dare se in sermonem, sermonem cum aliquo conferre, Cic.: v. conversation.