Literary notes about engaging (AI summary)
In literature, "engaging" is a versatile term that can denote active participation as well as a captivating appeal. It is employed to describe direct involvement in actions or conflicts—in military contexts, commanders might engage enemy outposts or armies to achieve strategic goals ([1], [2], [3], [4]). At the same time, the word frequently characterizes personalities or manners that are attractively pleasing and capable of drawing others in, whether by a charming smile or an appealing demeanor ([5], [6], [7], [8]). Moreover, "engaging" can imply a thoughtful involvement in intellectual or social pursuits, underscoring the allure of lively conversation, earnest discourse, or creative endeavor ([9], [10], [11]). This dual usage enriches narratives by linking the tangible act of engagement with the more subtle art of personal attraction and participation.
- Sedgwick, meantime, below Fredericksburg, had contented himself with engaging the outposts on the opposite ridge.
— from Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave by Frederick Douglass - In such a case, care must be taken not only to avoid engaging the corps making the demonstration, but to recall it promptly toward the main body.
— from The Art of War by baron de Antoine Henri Jomini - The cry of the Venetians before engaging the Greeks is represented by Martino da Canale, in his old French, as " or à yaus! or à yaus! "
— from The Travels of Marco Polo — Volume 1 by Marco Polo and da Pisa Rusticiano - Having succeeded in engaging the enemy, he killed a large number of them, and forced the rest to fly precipitately to the neighbouring towns.
— from The Histories of Polybius, Vol. 1 (of 2) by Polybius - George is almost a new acquaintance to me, and I find him in a different way as engaging as Edward.
— from The Letters of Jane Austen by Jane Austen - There is something pleasant and engaging about the mathematical signs when we do not understand them.
— from What Is Man? and Other Essays by Mark Twain - “The lady was young, engaging, and handsome, but not marked for long life.
— from A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens - She is the prettiest and most engaging little fairy in the world.
— from David Copperfield by Charles Dickens - The greatest degree of rational consistency could not have been more engaging, and they talked with mutual satisfaction.
— from Mansfield Park by Jane Austen - He appears this year to have been seized with a temporary fit of ambition, for he had thoughts both of studying law and of engaging in politics.
— from Boswell's Life of Johnson by James Boswell - Rebecca found no difficulty in engaging Briggs in a long, intimate, and delightful conversation.
— from Vanity Fair by William Makepeace Thackeray
