enter
enter (ĕnʹtər) verb
entered, entering, enters
verb, transitive
1. To come or go into: The train entered the tunnel.
2. To penetrate; pierce: The bullet entered the victim's skull.
3. To introduce; insert: She entered the probe into the patient's artery.
4. a. To become a participant, member, or part of; join: too old to enter the army; entered the discussion at a crucial moment. b. To gain admission to (a school, for example).
5. To cause to become a participant, member, or part of; enroll: entered the children in private school; entered dahlias in a flower show.
6. To embark on; begin: With Sputnik, the Soviet Union entered the space age.
7. To make a beginning in; take up: entered medicine.
8. To write or put in: We entered our names in the guest book; enters the data into the computer.
9. To place formally on record; submit: enter a plea of innocence; enter a complaint.
10. To go to or occupy in order to claim possession of (land).
11. To report (a ship or cargo) to customs.
verb, intransitive
1. To come or go in; make an entry: As the President entered, the band played "Hail to the Chief."
2. To effect penetration.
3. To become a member or participant.
phrasal verb.
enter into
1. To participate in; take an active role or interest in: enter into politics; enter into negotiations.
2. To become party to (a contract): The nations entered into a new agreement.
3. To become a component of; form a part of: Financial matters entered into the discussion.
4. To consider; investigate: The report entered into the effect of high interest rates on the market.
enter on or upon)
1. To set out on; begin: We enter on a new era in our history. They entered upon the most dangerous part of the journey.
2. To begin considering; take up: After discussing the budget deficit, they entered on the problem of raising taxes.
3. To take possession of: She entered upon the estate of her uncle.
[Middle English entren, from Old French entrer, from Latin intrāre, from intrā, inside.]
enʹterable adjective