to hold the attention of (someone) pleasantly; entertain or divert in an enjoyable or cheerful manner: She amused the guests with witty conversation.
2.
to cause mirth, laughter, or the like, in: The comedian amused the audience with a steady stream of jokes.
3.
to cause (time, leisure, etc.) to pass agreeably.
4.
Archaic. to keep in expectation by flattery, pretenses, etc.
5.
Obsolete.
a.
to engross; absorb.
b.
to puzzle; distract.
[Origin: 1470–80; < MF amuser to divert, amuse; see a-5, muse]
—Related forms
a·mus·a·ble, adjective
a·mus·er, noun
—Synonyms 1. please, charm, cheer. Amuse,divert,entertain mean to occupy the attention with something pleasant. That which amuses is usually playful or humorous and pleases the fancy. Divert implies turning the attention from serious thoughts or pursuits to something light, amusing, or lively. That which entertains usually does so because of a plan or program that engages and holds the attention by being pleasing and sometimes instructive.
To occupy in an agreeable, pleasing, or entertaining fashion.
To cause to laugh or smile by giving pleasure: I was not amused by his jokes.
Archaic To delude or deceive.
[Middle English, from Old French amuser, to stupefy : a-, to (from Latin ad-; see ad-) + muser, to stare stupidly; see muse.]
a·mus'a·ble adj., a·mus'er n.
Synonyms: These verbs refer to actions that provide pleasure, especially as a means of passing time. Amuse, the least specific, implies directing attention away from serious matters: I amused myself with a game of solitaire. Entertain suggests acts undertaken to furnish amusement: "They [timetables and catalogs] are much more entertaining than half the novels that are written" (W. Somerset Maugham).
Divert implies distraction from worrisome thought or care: "I had neither Friends or Books to divert me" (Richard Steele).
To regale is to entertain with something enormously enjoyable: "He loved to regale his friends with tales about the many memorable characters he had known as a newspaperman" (David Rosenzweig).
1480, from M.Fr. amuser "divert, cause to muse," from à "at, to" (but here probably a causal prefix) + muser "ponder, stare fixedly." Sense of "divert from serious business, tickle the fancy of" is recorded from 1631, but through 18c. the primary meaning was "deceive, cheat" by first occupying the attention. Bemuse retains more of the original meaning. Amusement "a pastime, play, game, etc." is first recorded 1673, originally depreciative. Amusement park is first recorded 1909. Amusing is noted late 1920s as a vogue word.
A*muse"\ ([.a]*m[=u]z"), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Amused ([.a]*m[=u]zd"); p. pr. & vb. n. Amusing.] [F. amuser to make stay, to detain, to amuse, [`a] (L. ad) + OF. muser. See Muse, v.]1. To occupy or engage the attention of; to lose in deep thought; to absorb; also, to distract; to bewilder. [Obs.] Camillus set upon the Gauls when they were amused in receiving their gold. --Holland. Being amused with grief, fear, and fright, he could not find the house. --Fuller. 2. To entertain or occupy in a pleasant manner; to stir with pleasing or mirthful emotions; to divert. A group of children amusing themselves with pushing stones from the top [of the cliff], and watching as they plunged into the lake. --Gilpin. 3. To keep in expectation; to beguile; to delude. He amused his followers with idle promises. --Johnson. Syn: To entertain; gratify; please; divert; beguile; deceive; occupy. Usage: To Amuse, Divert, Entertain. We are amused by that which occupies us lightly and pleasantly. We are entertained by that which brings our minds into agreeable contact with others, as conversation, or a book. We are diverted by that which turns off our thoughts to something of livelier interest, especially of a sportive nature, as a humorous story, or a laughable incident. Whatever amuses serves to kill time, to lull the faculties, and to banish reflection. Whatever entertains usually awakens the understanding or gratifies the fancy. Whatever diverts is lively in its nature, and sometimes tumultuous in its effects. --Crabb.
A*muse"\ ([.a]*m[=u]z"), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Amused ([.a]*m[=u]zd"); p. pr. & vb. n. Amusing.] [F. amuser to make stay, to detain, to amuse, [`a] (L. ad) + OF. muser. See Muse, v.]1. To occupy or engage the attention of; to lose in deep thought; to absorb; also, to distract; to bewilder. [Obs.] Camillus set upon the Gauls when they were amused in receiving their gold. --Holland. Being amused with grief, fear, and fright, he could not find the house. --Fuller. 2. To entertain or occupy in a pleasant manner; to stir with pleasing or mirthful emotions; to divert. A group of children amusing themselves with pushing stones from the top [of the cliff], and watching as they plunged into the lake. --Gilpin. 3. To keep in expectation; to beguile; to delude. He amused his followers with idle promises. --Johnson. Syn: To entertain; gratify; please; divert; beguile; deceive; occupy. Usage: To Amuse, Divert, Entertain. We are amused by that which occupies us lightly and pleasantly. We are entertained by that which brings our minds into agreeable contact with others, as conversation, or a book. We are diverted by that which turns off our thoughts to something of livelier interest, especially of a sportive nature, as a humorous story, or a laughable incident. Whatever amuses serves to kill time, to lull the faculties, and to banish reflection. Whatever entertains usually awakens the understanding or gratifies the fancy. Whatever diverts is lively in its nature, and sometimes tumultuous in its effects. --Crabb.
Di*vert"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Diverted; p. pr. & vb. n. Diverting.] [F. divertir, fr. L. divertere, diversum, to go different ways, turn aside; di- = dis- + vertere to turn. See Verse, and cf. Divorce.]1. To turn aside; to turn off from any course or intended application; to deflect; as, to divert a river from its channel; to divert commerce from its usual course. That crude apple that diverted Eve. --Milton. 2. To turn away from any occupation, business, or study; to cause to have lively and agreeable sensations; to amuse; to entertain; as, children are diverted with sports; men are diverted with works of wit and humor. We are amused by a tale, diverted by a comedy. --C. J. Smith. Syn: To please; gratify; amuse; entertain; exhilarate; delight; recreate. See Amuse.
En`ter*tain"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Entertained; p. pr. & vb. n. Entertaining.] [F. entretenir; entre between (L. inter) + tenir to hold, L. tenere. See Tenable.]1. To be at the charges of; to take or keep in one's service; to maintain; to support; to harbor; to keep. You, sir, I entertain for one of my hundred. --Shak. 2. To give hospitable reception and maintenance to; to receive at one's board, or into one's house; to receive as a guest. Be not forgetful to entertain strangers; for thereby some have entertained unawares. --Heb. xiii. 2. 3. To engage the attention of agreeably; to amuse with that which makes the time pass pleasantly; to divert; as, to entertain friends with conversation, etc. The weary time she can not entertain. --Shak. 4. To give reception to; to receive, in general; to receive and take into consideration; to admit, treat, or make use of; as, to entertain a proposal. I am not here going to entertain so large a theme as the philosophy of Locke. --De Quincey. A rumor gained ground, -- and, however absurd, was entertained by some very sensible people. --Hawthorne. 5. To meet or encounter, as an enemy. [Obs.] --Shak. 6. To keep, hold, or maintain in the mind with favor; to keep in the mind; to harbor; to cherish; as, to entertain sentiments. 7. To lead on; to bring along; to introduce. [Obs.] To baptize all nations, and entertain them into the services institutions of the holy Jesus. --Jer. Taylor. Syn: To amuse; divert; maintain. See Amuse.
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