enlist

• inlist (archaic)

From en- +‎ list.

• IPA^(key): /ɛnˈlɪst/, /ɪnˈlɪst/

  • Audio (Southern England):

    (file)

• Rhymes: -ɪst

enlist (third-person singular simple present enlists, present participle enlisting, simple past and past participle enlisted)

1. (transitive) To enter on a list; to enroll; to register.
2. (intransitive) To voluntarily join a cause or organization, especially military service.

   The army wants potential soldiers to enlist.

3. (transitive) To recruit the aid or membership of others.

   We enlisted fifty new members.

   • 1890, E. H. Parker, “On Race Struggles in Corea”, in Transactions of the Asiatic Society of Japan‎^[1], volume XVIII, Tokyo: The Hakubunsha, →OCLC, page 218:

     “The Emperor visited east-central China (江與京洛), and enlisted 400,000 soldiers and 500 Wu ships to cross the seas and go to P’ing-jang, (the Kao-li capital).”

4. (transitive) To secure; to obtain.

   They enlisted the government's support.

   • 1913, Robert Barr, chapter 4, in Lord Stranleigh Abroad‎^[2]:

     “I have tried, as I hinted, to enlist the co-operation of other capitalists, but experience has taught me that any appeal is futile that does not impinge directly upon cupidity. […] ”

• (enter on a list): enscroll; see also Thesaurus:enlist

(voluntarily join a cause or organization):

• conscript
• draft

• reenlist

enlist (plural enlists)

1. One who is enlisted, usually in a military service.
   • 2006, USA International Business Publications, Taiwan National Security And Defense Law And Regulations Handbook‎^[3]:

     […] 19.17% are enlisted officers (including cadets and midshipmen with BA degrees and associate degrees, officers Designated Military Occupational Specialty, the enlists converting into conscripts], officers from ROTCs) ; 0.31% are conscripted […]

• ELINTs, SILENT, Teslin, inlets, leints, lets in, listen, silent, tinsel