enter

[ en-ter ]

/ ˈɛn tər /

verb (used without object)

to come or go in: Knock before you enter.

to be admitted into a school, competition, etc.: Some contestants enter as late as a day before the race.

to make a beginning (often followed by on or upon): We have entered upon a new phase in history.

Theater. to come upon the stage (used in stage directions as the 3rd person imperative singular or plural): Enter Othello, and Iago at a distance.

verb (used with object)

to come or go into: He just entered the building. The thought never entered my mind.

to penetrate or pierce: The bullet entered the flesh.

to put in or insert.

to become a member of; join: to enter a club.

to cause to be admitted, as into a school, competition, etc.: to enter a horse in a race.

to make a beginning of or in, or begin upon; engage or become involved in: He entered the medical profession.

to share in; have an intuitive understanding of: In order to appreciate the novel, one must be able to enter the spirit of the work.

to make a record of; record or register: to enter a new word in a dictionary.

Law.

to make a formal record of (a fact).
to occupy or to take possession of (lands); make an entrance, entry, ingress in, under claim of a right to possession.
to file an application for (public lands).

Computers. to put (a document, program, data, etc.) into a computer system: Enter your new document into the word-processing system.

to put forward, submit, or register formally: to enter an objection to a proposed action; to enter a bid for a contract.

to report (a ship, cargo, etc.) at the custom house.

Verb Phrases

enter into,

to participate in; engage in.
to investigate; consider: We will enter into the question of inherited characteristics at a future time.
to sympathize with; share in.
to form a constituent part or ingredient of: There is another factor that enters into the situation.
to go into a particular state: to enter into a state of suspended animation.

QUIZZES

CHALLENGE YOURSELF WITH THESE WORDS FROM "LITTLE WOMEN"

"Little Women" may be a classic, but that doesn't mean we all know the meanings of the vocab words from the book. Can you define these words correctly and make Jo proud?

Question 1 of 10

earnest

full seriousness, as of intention or purpose.

a feeling of dread, anxiety, or anguish.

urgent character; imperativeness; insistence; importunateness.

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of enter

1200–50; Middle English entren < Old French entrer < Latin intrāre to enter, derivative of intrā within

ANTONYMS FOR enter

1 leave.

7 remove.

SEE ANTONYMS FOR enter ON THESAURUS.COM

OTHER WORDS FROM enter

en·ter·a·ble, adjectiveen·ter·er, nounpre·en·ter, verb (used without object)un·en·ter·a·ble, adjective

un·en·tered, adjectivewell-en·tered, adjective

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH enter

enter inter

Words nearby enter

entebbe, entelechy, entellus, entente, entente cordiale, enter, enter into, enter on, enter one's mind, enter the lists, enter-

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

British Dictionary definitions for enter into (1 of 2)

enter into

verb (intr, preposition)

to be considered as a necessary part of (one's plans, calculations, etc)

to be in sympathy withhe enters into his patient's problems

British Dictionary definitions for enter into (2 of 2)

enter

/ (ˈɛntə) /

verb

to come or go into (a place, house, etc)

to penetrate or pierce

(tr) to introduce or insert

to join (a party, organization, etc)

(when intr, foll by into) to become involved or take part (in)to enter a game; to enter into an agreement

(tr) to record (an item such as a commercial transaction) in a journal, account, register, etc

(tr) to record (a name, etc) on a list

(tr) to present or submitto enter a proposal

(intr) theatre to come on stage: used as a stage directionenter Juliet

(when intr, often foll by into, on, or upon) to begin; startto enter upon a new career

(intr often foll by upon) to come into possession (of)

(tr) to place (evidence, a plea, etc) before a court of law or upon the court records

(tr) law

to go onto and occupy (land)
mainly US to file a claim to (public lands)

Derived forms of enter

enterable, adjectiveenterer, noun

Word Origin for enter

C13: from Old French entrer, from Latin intrāre to go in, from intrā within

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Idioms and Phrases with enter into

enter into

Participate in, take an active role or interest in, as in We had to think twice before we entered into these negotiations. [Late 1700s]

Become party to (a contract), bind oneself, as in The nations entered into a new agreement. [First half of 1500s]

Become a component, form a part of, as in Finances soon entered into the discussion. [Early 1700s]

Also, go into. Consider, investigate, as in The report entered into the effect of high interest rates, or Let's not go into that. [Mid-1500s]

MEANINGS

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enter

verb (used without object)

verb (used with object)

Verb Phrases

QUIZZES

CHALLENGE YOURSELF WITH THESE WORDS FROM "LITTLE WOMEN"

Origin of enter

ANTONYMS FOR enter

OTHER WORDS FROM enter

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH enter

Words nearby enter

British Dictionary definitions for enter into (1 of 2)

verb (intr, preposition)

British Dictionary definitions for enter into (2 of 2)

verb

Derived forms of enter

Word Origin for enter

Idioms and Phrases with enter into

MEANINGS

WORD GAMES

LEARN

WRITING

WORD OF THE DAY

enter

verb (used without object)

verb (used with object)

Verb Phrases

QUIZZES

CHALLENGE YOURSELF WITH THESE WORDS FROM "LITTLE WOMEN"

Origin of enter

ANTONYMS FOR enter

OTHER WORDS FROM enter

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH enter

Words nearby enter

Words related to enter into

British Dictionary definitions for enter into (1 of 2)

verb (intr, preposition)

British Dictionary definitions for enter into (2 of 2)

verb

Derived forms of enter

Word Origin for enter

Idioms and Phrases with enter into