entry

An entry is not just about going in somewhere. It can be a way into a place, like a gate or door, but it can also be a single piece of writing or information. Think of a diary: each dated piece you write is an entry. In a contest, the thing you submit is your entry. In a book of accounts, one line of recorded information is also an entry. The word often points to access, a first step, or one item added to a larger set.

The word "entry" has several meanings, and most of them connect to the ideas of access, arrival, or something being written down. Very often, it refers to a way into a place, such as a doorway, gate, or opening. For example, a building may have a side entry, or a grand entry hall.

But the word reaches far beyond physical spaces. It can mean a piece of writing or recorded information. A diary entry is one section written on a certain day. In a ledger or database, an entry is one recorded item. In a dictionary, each word and its explanation appear as a separate entry.

It also commonly means something submitted. If you send a photo to a contest, that photo is your entry. If your name appears on a list or in a log, that is also an entry. In some cases, the word can describe the act of joining or appearing in a field or activity, as in someone's entry into politics or business. In legal and official use, it may refer to the formal recording of something, such as a judgment or order.

So the word can point to a way in, a written record, a submitted item, or the act of coming into something new. The exact meaning depends on the setting, but the common thread is clear: something enters, is added, or is officially placed where it belongs.