# enter

Pronunciation: US say "EN-tur" /ˈɛntɚ/; UK say "EN-tuh" /ˈɛntə(ɹ)/

## Verb

1. To go or come into a place, such as a room, building, area, or country.
   - Simple: To go or come into a place, like a room, a building, or a country.
   - _Guests may enter once the doors open at seven._
   - _She entered through a narrow gap in the fence._
2. To join an organization or institution, such as the army or a university, or to take up an activity, role or profession; also, to come into a new state, condition or period.
   - Simple: To join a group or a school, start a new job or activity, or begin a new stage of life.
   - _The director entered upon his role with ambitious plans._
   - _She plans to enter the legal profession after finishing her degree._
3. To put information into a computer, device, list, or written record, such as by typing it or writing it in a ledger.
   - Simple: To type or write information into a computer, form, or record.
   - _Please enter your account number before pressing submit._
   - _He entered the data into the spreadsheet one row at a time._
4. To take part in a competition, race, exam, exhibition, or prize draw, or to sign up oneself, another person, or a thing for one.
   - Simple: To take part in a contest, race, test, show or prize drawing, or sign up yourself, someone or something for one.
   - _The marathon is open to anyone over sixteen, and more than thirty thousand runners enter each year._
   - _The school entered three of its students' paintings in the state exhibition._
5. To become one of the parties bound by an agreement, treaty, or contract.
   - Simple: To officially join a deal or agreement with others.
   - _The firms entered into a joint agreement to share research._
   - _Neither party wished to enter into a binding treaty so quickly._
9. To occur to someone or arise in their awareness, said of a thought or idea.
   - Simple: To come into a person's mind, said of a thought or idea.
   - _The possibility of losing simply didn't enter her thoughts._
   - _A small doubt entered his mind as he signed the lease._
7. To place a plea, motion, or document formally before the court and put it on the record.
   - Simple: To put something officially on the court's record, in writing.
   - _Her lawyer entered an appearance on her behalf the day after the arrest._
   - _The clerk asked them to enter the document into the record._
10. To take effect; to come into force, as a law, treaty, or regulation does.
   - Simple: To start working or become official, like a new rule.
   - _The treaty will enter into force once all members ratify it._
   - _The agreement entered into force the day after both governments signed it._
13. To come on stage in a play; scripts print it before the name of the arriving character, and people use it playfully to announce someone or something new.
   - Simple: To come onto the stage, as in 'Enter the king.' Also said for fun when someone or something new appears.
   - _In the second act, the ghost enters from stage left as the lights dim._
   - _The negotiations had stalled for weeks; enter a new mediator with a fresh proposal._
14. Of a factor or consideration, to figure in something such as a decision or have a bearing on it; followed by into.
   - Simple: Of a reason or fact, to play a part in something such as a decision. Used with 'into'.
   - _Cost will certainly enter into the board's decision on the new stadium._
   - _Personal loyalties should never have entered into the hiring process._

## Noun

6. The Enter key on a computer keyboard, used to confirm a command or start a new line; also, a press of that key.
   - Simple: The Enter key, which you press on a computer to confirm something or start a new line, or a press of it.
   - _Type the command and press enter to run it._
   - _She pressed enter twice to add a blank line._

## Verb

8. To cause something to go into a place; to put it in or insert it. *(dated)*
   - Simple: To put or push something into a place or container.
11. To file the required details about a piece of public land with the land office, securing a right to buy it first. *(dated, US)*
   - Simple: To file a claim for public land at the land office so you can buy it first.
   - _Her grandfather entered a quarter section near the river in 1868._
   - _A settler could enter a quarter section at the land office to gain the first right to buy it._
12. To introduce someone favorably into a group, activity, or social circle as a newcomer. *(obsolete)*
   - Simple: To bring someone into a group by giving them a good first start.

## Other meanings

- (verb) To report a vessel or its cargo at the custom house, submitting a statement of imported goods for duty assessment.
- (verb) To deposit the title or description of a book, picture, or map in order to secure its copyright.
- (verb) To go onto land and take actual, physical possession of it.

## Origin

"Enter" comes from Middle English "entren," from Old French "entrer," from Latin "intrō" (to enter), which itself derives from "intrā" meaning "inside."

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/enter (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).