To hold the attention of with something amusing or diverting. See Synonyms at amuse.
To extend hospitality toward: entertain friends at dinner.
To consider; contemplate: entertain an idea.
To hold in mind; harbor: entertained few illusions.
Archaic To continue with; maintain.
Obsolete To employ; hire.
To give admittance to; receive.
v.
intr.
To show hospitality to guests.
To provide entertainment.
[Middle English entertinen, to maintain, from Old French entretenir, from Medieval Latin intertenēre : Latin inter, among; see inter- + Latin tenēre, to hold; see ten- in Indo-European roots.]
1475, "to keep up, maintain," from M.Fr. entretenir, from O.Fr. entretenir "hold together, support," from entre- "among" (from L. inter) + tenir "to hold" (from L. tenere; see tenet). Sense of "have a guest" is 1490; that of "amuse" is 1626. Entertainer "public performer" is from c.1535.
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.
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.
Ten"a*ble\, a. [F. tenable, fr. tenir to hold, L. tenere. See Thin, and cf. Continue, Continent, Entertain, Maintain, Tenant, Tent.] Capable of being held, naintained, or defended, as against an assailant or objector, or againts attempts to take or process; as, a tenable fortress, a tenable argument. If you have hitherto concealed his sight, Let it be tenable in your silence still. --Shak. I would be the last man in the world to give up his cause when it was tenable. --Sir W. Scott.
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