enter

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   to come or go into

   the boat entered an area of shallow marshes

2. 2
   verb

   To go or come into an enclosed or partially enclosed space.

   You should knock before you enter, unless you want to see me naked.

3. 3
   verb

   To cause to go (into), or to be received (into); to put in; to insert; to cause to be admitted.

   to enter a knife into a piece of wood

4. 4
   verb

   To go or come into (a state or profession).

   My twelve-year-old son will be entering his teens next year.

5. 5
   verb

   To type (something) into a computer; to input.

   Enter your user name and password.

6. 6
   verb

   To record (something) in an account, ledger, etc.

   Each amount entered in the debit column of the journal is posted by entering it on the credit side/column of an account in the ledger.

7. 7
   verb

   To become a party to an agreement, treaty, etc.

   I am pleased to notify the Congress of my intent to enter into a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the Government of Singapore.

8. 8
   verb

   To become effective; to come into effect.

   This Act shall enter into force on 01 March 1998.

Etymology

From Middle English entren, from Old French entrer, from Latin intrō (“enter”, verb), from intrā (“inside”). Has been spelled as "enter" for several centuries even in the United Kingdom, although British English and the English of many Commonwealth Countries (e.g. Australia, Canada) retain the "re" ending for many words such as centre, fibre, spectre, theatre, calibre, sombre, lustre, and litre.