Meaning of enter In English

• 0 to come or go into a particular place:

  • The police entered (the building) through/by the side door.

  • You will begin to feel sleepy as the drug enters the bloodstream.

• 1 to be included in a competition, race, or exam, or to arrange for someone else to do this:

  • Both men have been entered for/in the 100 metres in Paris next month.

  • All three companies have entered the race to develop a new system.

  • Are you going to enter the photography competition?

• 2 to put information into a computer, book, or document:

  • You have to enter a password to access the database.

  • The prisoner entered a plea of not guilty.

• 3 to become a member of a particular organization, or to start working in a particular type of job:

  • Ms Doughty entered politics/Parliament after a career in banking.

• 4 to begin a period of time:

  • The project is entering its final stages.

  • The violence is now entering its third week.

• 5 the key on a computer keyboard that is used to say that the words or numbers on the screen are correct, or to say that an instruction should be performed, or to move down a line on the screen:

  • Move the cursor to where it says "New File" and press enter.

• 6 to come or go into a place:

  • [ T ] The orchestra entered the hall.

  • [ T ] He entered a shelter for the homeless.

  • [ I ] Half of the museum’s visitors are children who enter for free.

  • [ I ] He entered the army at the age of 18.

• 7 to begin or become involved in something:

  • [ T ] The president maintained we were about to enter a period of unprecedented economic growth.

  • [ I ] She entered into an exclusive contract with an international sports shoe company.

• 8 to make a record of something; list:

  • Did you enter your names in the guest book?

  • Use this computer to enter the data.

  • He was entered (= listed officially as taking part) in the shot put and discus events.

  • He entered a plea of not guilty.

• 9 to begin taking part in a particular market or area of business:

  • enter a market/business This ruling should make it easier for first-time buyers to enter the housing market (= to buy a property for the first time).

• 10 to put information into a computer:

  • At the prompt, please enter a valid email address.

  • enter data/information (into sth) All information is entered into a database and analyzed for patterns.

• 11 to write information into an account book, a list, etc.:

  • All customer payments must be entered into the accounts book at the time of purchase.

  • Before the meeting, the number of hours requested from each department is entered onto the spreadsheet opposite each project.

• 12 if people or goods enter a country or region, they arrive there:

  • Legitimate visa holders should be allowed to enter and leave the country, and to apply for a renewal of their visa while still in America.

  • All cargo vessels entering the port are stopped and inspected.

• 13 to begin a period of time:

  • enter an era/a phase/a cycle The company entered a new era today with its first pre-tax profit.

  • Now is not the time to buy, just as we are entering a recession.

  • The country's economy is entering its eighth year of uninterrupted growth.

• 14 to start working in a particular type of job, or to become a member of a particular organization:

  • Now is a peak time for young people to enter the profession.

• 15 to officially make an agreement or begin a discussion with another person or organization:

  • enter a contract/agreement/partnership The two companies plan to enter a joint distribution agreement to distribute the products in their respective markets.

  • enter discussions/talks with sb

• 16 to begin to take part in a competitive situation:

  • The rumoured interest of a US venture capitalist triggered speculation that a rival could enter the fray.

• 17 to officially state that you are guilty/not guilty of a crime in a court of law

• 18 to begin to be used for the first time:

  • The A380 - the world's biggest passenger jet - entered service in 2006.

• 19 one of the set of moving parts that you press with your fingers on a computer when you have typed an instruction or want to start a new line:

  • Type in the data and then press enter.