Engage - what is it? This concept came to us from the French in the 18th century. At first, its significance was strictly related to social life, where the gentlemen engaged the ladies to dance or to talk. Today, such an understanding is outdated, as it was replaced by other interpretations. More details about what it is to engage will be described in this review.
Let's turn to the dictionary
It says that the original meaning of the word “engage” is to invite a person to a certain place or to involve him in a certain action. Moreover, a more concrete understanding of the studied linguistic object is given. Consider some of its options:
- Offer an artist or troupe (theater, circus) engagement. In other words, to agree with the indicated persons on participation in accordance with the agreed conditions and terms in concerts, performances, circus performances. Example: “The entrepreneur was very pleased that for the coming season he managed to engage such a famous troupe - now large fees have been provided.”
- Hire (hire) a person in order to perform work, provide services or fill a position. Example: "According to available information, it was not uncommon in the Russian Empire to engage foreign nationals in the military and naval service."
- Invite a girl or woman to a dance or walk. Example: “At the party at the Volynsky Annushka did not have to get bored - the gentlemen engaged her one by one.”
Other values
For a better understanding of what it is to engage, we will consider a few more meanings of this word.
- Attract or engage in any event. Example: "In the memoirs of revolutionaries, there are often records that they did not really think about engaging people in terror - it means playing with their lives."
- To incline a person to something (in the meaning of persuading, coaxing). Example: “As the old diplomats testify, during the performance of their duties at the European courts, it was difficult for them to manage without engaging foreign colleagues to reveal their thoughts.”
- Attract certain forces to achieve certain goals. Example: “In order to win on the right flank, where the enemy was especially pressing, the commander of the troops had no choice but to engage the last of the remaining reserves.”
As can be seen from the above examples, all of these values are tinge of obsolete. Now we turn to the modern understanding of the word under study.
Today's interpretation
Now the word we are studying is used in a completely different meaning. Over time, it acquired a negative connotation. The verb “engage” is used when it comes to attracting people with a certain influence to fulfill certain goals for money.
Such goals may be the promotion of political aspirations, business interests, receiving bonuses. For this, these persons, whether politicians, famous actors, writers or top managers, receive some benefits, promotion, participation in business projects, monetary compensation.
Example: “Judging by the behavior of the regional deputy, the observers concluded that their competitors still managed to engage him, and now he clearly promoted the interests of their opponents.”
Engage: synonyms and etymology
Next, we give words that are close in meaning to the considered one. Among them are such as:
- invite;
- undertake;
- attach to;
- attract;
- hire;
- to accept;
- to bark;
- to ask;
- to bribe;
- oiling;
- to persuade;
- to convince.
In conclusion, considering the issue of what it is to engage, we trace the origin of this word. It originates in the Proto-Indo-European language from the word wadh, from which came the pragerman wadja, denoting bail, pledge. Then in the Old Frank language the noun wadjare appeared. In French, it took the form en gage in the meaning of "pledge." From it formed the verb engager - “hire, lay”, from which the Russian verb “engage” originated.