enroll

/ɪnˈroʊl/

/ɛnˈrʌʊl/

Other forms: enrolled; enrolling; enrolls

If you like clowning around but you're not quite ready for the circus, you could enroll in clown college to perfect your skills. When you enroll, that means you formally add your name to the list — or roll — of students.

You can enroll in things other than schools or classes, and you can also enroll someone else. You might enroll your Chihuahua in a research project investigating whether dogs like to wear hats, or you could enroll your rude nephew in charm school. The "roll" of enroll goes back to the rolls of parchment that were used in medieval times for writing official documents.

Definitions of enroll

1. verb

   register formally as a participant or member
   synonyms: enrol, enter, inscribe, recruit

   types:

   draft, enlist, muster in

   engage somebody to enter the army

   unionise, unionize

   recruit for a union or organize into a union

   register

   enroll to vote

   matriculate

   enroll as a student

   levy, raise, recruit

   cause to assemble or enlist in the military

   type of:

   register

   record in writing; enter into a book of names or events or transactions