Meaning of '為已任'?

[calibre2001]

Searched the web and found some examples with respective the 'correct' english translations. I still can't quite figure out what is the english equivalent of 為已任. Appreciate the help. Thanks!

羅傑以說服他人參加他的政黨為已任

Roger had it upon him to gain men over to his party.

瑞安市春余機械廠自創建以來始終以發展中國包裝機械事業為已任。

Since its establishment, Ruian Chunyu Machinery Plant permanently takes it as its own responsibility and the center of leading research to develop new package equipment and Chinese package machinery.

新聞工作者不應受輿論左右，而是以追求真實為已任，盡力接近事實真相。

Journalists should not be swayed by public opinion, only by the pursuit of truth, as close as they can get to it.

[vampire]

(把 ……) (作)爲(自)己(的責)任, take something as oneself's responsibility

[calibre2001]

Thanks! That was quick.

Also came across two more words that I don't quite understand - 務求 and 經越

Please help! Thanks

務求做到良好的售前及售後服務。

Besides a diligently sales team.

這些化裝務求為觀衆帶來歡笑。

In other words, a clown acknowledges his audience.

該署不斷檢討防治蟲鼠的方法，務求提高工作成效。

The methodology used in pest control is continuously reviewed to enhance effectiveness and efficacy.

經越十七年的發展，已成爲新加坡最具規模及多元化的中菜餐飲集團。

[roddy]

You've got your 已s and 己s mixed up - not sure if that was stopping you finding it in the dictionary, you presumably had it right at some point to find the examples.

Also you might want to watch your word boundaries. You've taken 为己任 as an word, whereas it's （以。。。为）己任 and 經越 is two words - 经 as in through / after , 越 as in more (strikes me as a slightly odd usage). So 'After over seventeen years . . .' Easy to take two single-character words as one two-character word though.

[YuehanHao]

Christ! After staring at the statement "You've got your 已s and 己s mixed up " for two minutes I realized 已 and 己 really are different! Probably I am a slow learner, but all this time I have been under the illusion they were the same character with multiple pronunciations. I knew what seem to me like fairly minor variations in the length of strokes could be important from several years ago when I began studying Chinese and was made fun of by my wife for writing 那 with 月 on the left-hand side, but I say, this distinction between 已 and 己 really must be the limit, right? In any case, I accept the correction on 已/己 as well.

约翰好

[studentyoung]

务求：(must) try to

務求做到良好的售前及售後服務。

Must try to do the best pre-sell and after sell service.

這些化裝務求為觀衆帶來歡笑。

All these make-up and dressings (must) try to amuse audiences.

該署不斷檢討防治蟲鼠的方法，務求提高工作成效。

The department always reviews the methodology used to control pest and mouse to (try to) enhance the effectiveness.

经越：go through, after

經越十七年的發展，已成爲新加坡最具規模及多元化的中菜餐飲集團

After / going through 17 years development,

Cheers!

[calibre2001]

Another interesting one is 好 and 妤 (as in 陳辛妤).

[Hanyu'sWay]

经越 is likely to be a typo or local to Singapore. 经过 makes more sense in the sentence.