involve

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   make complex or intricate or complicated

   The situation was rather involved

2. 2
   verb

   occupy or engage the interest of

   The story completely involved me during the entire afternoon.

3. 3
   verb

   contain as a part

   Dinner at Joe's always involves at least six courses

4. 4
   verb

   have as a necessary feature

   This decision involves many changes

5. 5
   verb

   engage as a participant

   Don't involve me in your family affairs!

6. 6
   verb

   To have (something) as a component or a related part; to comprise, to include.

   My job involves forecasting economic trends.

7. 7
   verb

   To cause or engage (someone or something) to become connected or implicated, or to participate, in some activity or situation.

   By involving herself in her local community, Mary met lots of people and also helped make it a nicer place to live.

8. 8
   verb

   To entangle, intertwine, or mingle (something with one or more other things, or several things together); especially, to entangle (someone or something) in a confusing or troublesome situation.

   to involve a person in debt or misery

Etymology

PIE word *h₁én From Late Middle English involven (“to cloud; to encumber; to envelop, surround; to ponder (something); (reflexive) to concern (oneself) with something”) [and other forms], borrowed from Old French involver, envoudre, or from its etymon Latin involvere, the present active infinitive of Latin involvō (“to roll to or upon something; to roll about; to coil or curl up; to cover; to envelop, wrap up; to overwhelm”), from in- (prefix meaning ‘in, inside, within’) + volvō (“to roll; to tumble”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *welH- (“to turn; to wind (turn coils)”)).