enter

¹

[ en-ter ]

verb (used without object)

1. to come or go in:

   Knock before you enter.

   Antonyms: leave

2. to be admitted into a school, competition, etc.:

   Some contestants enter as late as a day before the race.

3. to make a beginning (often followed by on or upon ):

   We have entered upon a new phase in history.

4. 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)

1. to come or go into:

   He just entered the building. The thought never entered my mind.

2. to penetrate or pierce:

   The bullet entered the flesh.

3. to put in or insert.

   Antonyms: remove

4. to become a member of; join:

   to enter a club.

5. to cause to be admitted, as into a school, competition, etc.:

   to enter a horse in a race.

6. to make a beginning of or in, or begin upon; engage or become involved in:

   He entered the medical profession.

7. 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.

8. to make a record of; record or register:

   to enter a new word in a dictionary.

9. Law.
   1. to make a formal record of (a fact).
   2. to occupy or to take possession of (lands); make an entrance, entry, ingress in, under claim of a right to possession.
   3. to file an application for (public lands).
10. Computers. to put (a document, program, data, etc.) into a computer system:

    Enter your new document into the word-processing system.

11. to put forward, submit, or register formally:

    to enter an objection to a proposed action; to enter a bid for a contract.

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

verb phrase

1. 1. to participate in; engage in.
   2. to investigate; consider:

      We will enter into the question of inherited characteristics at a future time.

   3. to sympathize with; share in.
   4. to form a constituent part or ingredient of:

      There is another factor that enters into the situation.

   5. to go into a particular state:

      to enter into a state of suspended animation.

enter-

²

1. variant of entero- before a vowel:

   enteritis.

enter

/ ˈɛntə /

verb

1. to come or go into (a place, house, etc)
2. to penetrate or pierce
3. tr to introduce or insert
4. to join (a party, organization, etc)
5. whenintr, foll by into to become involved or take part (in)

   to enter into an agreement

   to enter a game

6. tr to record (an item such as a commercial transaction) in a journal, account, register, etc
7. tr to record (a name, etc) on a list
8. tr to present or submit

   to enter a proposal

9. intr theatre to come on stage: used as a stage direction

   enter Juliet

10. whenintr, often foll by into, on, or upon to begin; start

    to enter upon a new career

11. introften foll byupon to come into possession (of)
12. tr to place (evidence, a plea, etc) before a court of law or upon the court records
13. tr law
    1. to go onto and occupy (land)
    2. to file a claim to (public lands)

Derived Forms

• ˈenterable, adjective
• ˈenterer, noun

Other Words From

• enter·a·ble adjective
• enter·er noun
• pre·enter verb (used without object)
• un·enter·a·ble adjective
• un·entered adjective
• well-entered adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of enter¹

First recorded in 1200–50; Middle English entren, from Old French entrer, from Latin intrāre “to enter,” from intrā intra- ( def )

Word History and Origins

Origin of enter¹

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

Example Sentences

Finally there’s the option of offering “safe and legal” routes for refugees to enter Britain, the policy preferred by some charities.

From BBC

Mr Headley, who was accompanied by his solicitor, was not asked to enter pleas on the two charges against him.

From BBC

The 12 group winners will qualify automatically, while the 12 runners-up will enter the play-offs along with the four highest-ranked Nations League group winners who have not qualified automatically.

From BBC

Paul’s assistant insisted our cameras should be recording from the moment the star entered the room, because of his strict schedule and timekeeping.

From BBC

Bernard said inflammation plays a significant role in Parkinson's disease when microglia, specific immune cells in the brain, enter a supercharged state.

From Science Daily

Related Words

• arrive
• come in
• get in
• go in
• infiltrate
• introduce
• invade
• penetrate