音标:/ɪnˈɡeɪdʒd/
作为形容词,engaged 主要有四大含义:
已订婚的:指两人已约定结婚。
例:She's engaged to Peter.(她与彼得订婚了)
从事……的;忙于……的:表示正在进行某项活动或工作(正式用法)。
例:He is engaged in scientific research.(他从事科研工作)
(电话)占线的:指电话线路正在被使用。
例:I couldn't get through—the line's engaged.(我打不通电话——线路忙)
(公共设施)被占用的:如厕所、座位等有人使用。
例:The sign on the door indicated the toilet was engaged.(门上的标识显示厕所有人使用)
| 短语 | 含义 | 例句 |
|---|---|---|
| be engaged in | 从事;忙于(某事) | They are engaged in talks with the government.(他们正忙于与政府谈判) |
| be engaged to sb | 与某人订婚 | We got engaged on my eighteenth birthday.(我们在我18岁生日那天订婚了) |
| engaged tone | (电话)忙音 | I heard the engaged tone and hung up.(我听到忙音后挂断了电话) |
| otherwise engaged | 另有安排(正式婉拒用语) | I can't attend the meeting—I'm otherwise engaged.(我无法参会,另有安排) |
“订婚” vs “有安排”:
表示“订婚”时直接用 be engaged to sb,无需额外修饰,如 Tom is engaged to Anne(汤姆已与安妮订婚)。
表示“有其他安排”时需加 otherwise,即 be otherwise engaged,避免歧义,如 I’m otherwise engaged this evening(我今晚另有安排)。
正式 vs 口语:
描述“忙碌”时,be engaged in 偏正式,多用于书面或正式场合;口语中更常用 busy with,如 She’s busy with her homework(她忙着做作业)。
订婚场景:The engaged couple announced their wedding date yesterday.(这对订婚情侣昨天公布了婚期)
工作场景:He was engaged on a new project when I visited his office.(我拜访他办公室时,他正忙于一个新项目)
电话场景:We tried to call you back, but your line was engaged for hours.(我们试着给你回电,但你的电话占线了好几个小时)
婉拒场景:The manager is otherwise engaged and cannot meet you today.(经理另有安排,今天无法见您)
❌ 错误:I’m engaged with a meeting.(表示“在开会”)
✅ 正确:I’m engaged in a meeting. 或 I’m in a meeting.
(be engaged with 强调“与……互动”,如 She was engaged with the children(她在和孩子们互动),而非“正在进行”)。
通过语境判断 engaged 的含义是关键:谈论婚姻时多为“订婚”,涉及工作或活动时为“从事”,电话或设施相关则为“占用中”。你还能想到哪些使用场景?