involve

Verb

involve (third-person singular simple present involves, present participle involving, simple past and past participle involved)

1. (transitive) To have (something) as a component or a related part; to comprise, to include.
   • My job involves forecasting economic trends.
   • But there remaineth yet another vſe of POESY PARABOLICAL, […] That is vvhen the Secrets and Miſteries of Religion, Pollicy, or Philoſophy, are inuolued in Fables or Parables. Of this in diuine Poeſie, vvee ſee the vſe is authoriſed.1605, Francis Bacon, “The Second Booke”, in The Twoo Bookes of Francis Bacon. Of the Proficience and Aduancement of Learning, Diuine and Humane, London: […] [Thomas Purfoot and Thomas Creede] for...

   Synonyms:

   comprehend

   1. (specifically, transitive) To include (something) as a logical or natural, or necessary component, or consequence or effect of something else; to entail, to imply.
      • Many conceive there is ſomevvhat amiſſe, and that as vve uſually ſay, they are unbleſt untill they put on their girdle: vvherein (although moſt knovv not vvhat they ſay) there are involved unknovvne conſiderations; for by a girdle or cincture are ſymbolically implied Truth, Reſolution and...1646, Thomas Browne, “Compendiously of Many Questionable Customes, Opinions, Pictures, Practises, and Popular Observations”, in Pseudodoxia Epidemica: […], London: […] T[homas] H[arper] for Edward...
      • [A]t the making of this Covenant, God ſpake onely to Abraham; and therefore contracted not vvith any of his family, or ſeed, othervviſe then as their vvills (vvhich make the eſſence of all Covenants) vvere before the Contract involved in the vvill of Abraham; vvho vvas ſuppoſed to have had a...1651, Thomas Hobbes, “Of the Rights of the Kingdome of God, in Abraham, Moses, the High Priests, and the Kings of Judah”, in Leviathan, or The Matter, Forme, & Power of a Common-wealth...
2. (transitive) 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.
   • How can we involve the audience more during the show?

   Synonyms:

   include

   1. (also, reflexive, specifically, transitive, chiefly passive voice) Chiefly followed by with: to engage (someone or oneself) in an emotional or sexual relationship.
3. (figuratively, transitive) 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
   • Also that reuerende studie [of law] is inuolued in so barbarouse a langage, that it is nat only voyde of all eloquence, but also beynge seperate from the exercise of our lawe onely, it serueth to no commoditie or necessary purpose, no man understandyng it but they whiche haue studyed the lawes.1531, Thomas Elyot, “Howe the Studentes in the Lawes of This Realme maye Take Excellent Commoditie by the Lessons of Sondrie Doctrines”, in Ernest Rhys, editor, The Boke Named the Governour […]...

   Synonyms:

   blend, ensnarl, implicate, merge, admix, amalgamate, bemingle, combine, commingle, intermingle

4. (archaic, transitive) To cover or envelop (something) completely; to hide, to surround.
   • to involve in darkness or obscurity
   • [T]he vviſe mans eyes keepe vvatch in his head vvhereas the foole roundeth about in darkneſſe: but vvithall I learned that the ſame mortalitie inuolueth them both.1605, Francis Bacon, “The First Booke”, in The Twoo Bookes of Francis Bacon. Of the Proficience and Aduancement of Learning, Diuine and Humane, London: […] [Thomas Purfoot and Thomas Creede] for...

   Synonyms:

   enfold, enwrap, swallow up

5. (archaic, transitive) To form (something) into a coil or spiral, or into folds; to entwine, to fold up, to roll, to wind round.
   • VVe muſt be ſtiffe and ſteddie in reſolue. / Let's thus our hands, our hearts, our armes inuolue.1600 or 1601 (date written), I. M. [i.e., John Marston], Antonios Reuenge. The Second Part. […], London: […] [Richard Bradock] for Thomas Fisher, and are to be soulde [by Matthew Lownes] […]...
   • [S]ome of Serpent kinde / Wondrous in length and corpulence involv'd / Thir Snakie foulds, and added wings.1667, John Milton, “Book VII”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished...
6. (archaic, obsolete, transitive) To make (something) intricate; to complicate.
   • And as wililye as thoſe ſhrewes that beguyle hym haue holpe hym to inuolue and intryke the matter: I ſhall vſe ſo playn and open a way therin, that euery man ſhall well ſee the trouth.1533 (date written), Thomas More, “The Debellacyon of Salem and Bizance […]. Chapter XVIJ.”, in Wyllyam Rastell [i.e., William Rastell], editor, The Workes of Sir Thomas More Knyght, […], London: […]...
   • [H]e ſeemed rather vvilling to diſpatch the buſines vvith judgement, then to involue it vvith nice diſtinctions.1635, George Hakewill, “Wherein the Objections Brought in Behalfe of the Romanes Touching Their Pretended Iustice, Prudence, and Fortitude, are Examined and Fully Answered”, in An Apologie or...
7. (archaic, obsolete, transitive) To multiply (a number) by itself a given number of times; to raise to any assigned power.
   • a quantity involved to the third or fourth power
   • Subtract the power from the given quantity, and divide the first term of the remainder, by the first term of the root involved to the next inferiour power, and multiplied by the index of the given power; the quotient will be the next term of the root.1814, Jeremiah Day, “Evolution of Compound Quantities”, in An Introduction to Algebra, Being the First Part of a Course of Mathematics, […], New Haven, Conn.: Howe & Deforest; Oliver Steele, printer...