enter

Main Entry:: en·ter
Pronunciation:: \ˈen-tər\
Function:: verb
Inflected Form(s):: en·tered; en·ter·ing \ˈen-t(ə-)riŋ\
Etymology:: Middle English entren, from Anglo-French entrer, from Latin intrare, from intra within; akin to Latin inter between — more at inter-
Date:: 13th century

intransitive verb1: to go or come in2: to come or gain admission into a group : join —often used with into3 a: to make a beginning <entering upon a career> b: to begin to consider a subject —usually used with into or upon4: to go upon land for the purpose of taking possession5 a: to come onstage —usually used in the subjunctive as a stage direction <enter Hamlet reading> b: to come into a preestablished situation or context like an actor coming onstage —usually used in the subjunctive <enter the new principal with her radical ideas>6: to play a part : be a factor <other considerations enter when money is involved>transitive verb1: to come or go into <enter a room>2: inscribe , register <enter the names of qualified voters>3: to cause to be received or admitted <enter a child at a school>4: to put in : insert <enter the new data into the computer>5 a: to make a beginning in <enter politics> b: to go into (a particular period of time) <enter middle age>6: to become a member of or an active participant in <enter the university> <enter a race>7: to make report of (a ship or its cargo) to customs authorities8: to place in proper form before a court of law or upon record <enter a writ>9: to go into or upon and take actual possession of (as land)10: to put formally on record <entering a complaint>

— en·ter·able

\ˈen-t(ə-)rə-bəl\ adjective

— enter into

1: to make oneself a party to or in <enter into an agreement>2: to form or be part of <your prejudices shouldn't enter into it>3: to participate or share in <enter into the spirit of the occasion>

— enter the lists

: to engage in a fight or struggle

synonyms enter , penetrate , pierce , probe mean to make way into something. enter is the most general of these and may imply either going in or forcing a way in <entered the city in triumph>. penetrate carries a strong implication of an impelling force or compelling power that achieves entrance <the enemy penetrated the fortress>. pierce means an entering or cutting through with a sharp pointed instrument <pierced the boil with a lancet>. probe implies penetration to investigate or explore something hidden from sight or knowledge <probed the depths of the sea>.

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