Entertain

• POS: Verb (usu participle), Verb (transitive)
• HYPHEN: en=ter=tain

CIDE DICTIONARY

Entertain, v. t. [F. entretenir; entre between (L. inter) + tenir to hold, L. tenere. See Tenable.].

•  To be at the charges of; to take or keep in one's service; to maintain; to support; to harbor; to keep.  [1913 Webster]

  "You, sir, I entertain for one of my hundred."  [1913 Webster]
•  To give hospitable reception and maintenance to; to receive at one's board, or into one's house; to receive as a guest.  [1913 Webster]

  "Be not forgetful to entertain strangers; for thereby some have entertained unawares."  [1913 Webster]
•  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.  [1913 Webster]

  "The weary time she can not entertain."  [1913 Webster]
•  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.  [1913 Webster]

  "I am not here going to entertain so large a theme as the philosophy of Locke."  [1913 Webster]

  "A rumor gained ground, -- and, however absurd, was entertained by some very sensible people."  [1913 Webster]
•  To meet or encounter, as an enemy.  Shak.  [1913 Webster]
•  To keep, hold, or maintain in the mind with favor; to keep in the mind; to harbor; to cherish; as, to entertain sentiments.  [1913 Webster]
•  To lead on; to bring along; to introduce.  [1913 Webster]

  "To baptize all nations, and entertain them into the services institutions of the holy Jesus."

Syn. -- To amuse; divert; maintain. See Amuse.

Entertain, v. i. 

 To receive, or provide entertainment for, guests; as, he entertains generously.  [1913 Webster]

Entertain, n. [Cf. F. entretien, fr. entretenir.].

 Entertainment.  Spenser.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Entertain, v.tr.
1 amuse; occupy agreeably.
2 a receive or treat as a guest. b (absol.) receive guests (they entertain a great deal).
3 give attention or consideration to (an idea, feeling, or proposal).

Etymology

ME f. F entretenir ult. f. L tenere hold

THESAURUS

Entertain

accommodate, admit, allow, amuse, amusement, bear, beguile, bestow, billet, board, bosom, cater to, cherish, cling to, clip, consider, contemplate, convulse, cultivate, delight, disport, dissipation, distraction, diversion, divert, divertissement, do the honors, domicile, embosom, embrace, enjoyment, enliven, entertain guests, entertainment, exhilarate, feed, fondle, foster, fracture one, gaiety, give a party, gladden, gratify, guest, harbor, have, have and hold, hold, hold on to, host, house, hug, inquire into, invite, keep, kill, knock dead, lodge, loosen up, maintain, nourish, nurse, nurture, occupy, play, please, pleasure, preside, put up, quarter, raise a laugh, raise a smile, receive, recreate, recreation, refresh, regale, rejoice, relax, relaxation, relief, room, see about, slay, sleep upon, solace, sport, support, sustain, take under advisement, take under consideration, think it over, throw a party, tickle, titillate, tolerate, treasure, treasure up, treat, wow

ROGET THESAURUS

Entertain

Aid

VB aid, assist, help, succor, lend one's aid, come to the aid, of, contribute, subscribe to, bring aid, give aid, furnish aid, afford aid, supply aid, give a helping hand, stretch a hand, lend a helping hand, lend a hand, bear a helping hand, hold out a hand, hold out a helping hand, give one a life, give one a cast, give one a turn, take by the hand, take in tow, help a lame dog over a stile, lend wings to, relieve, rescue, set up, set agoing, set on one's legs, bear through, pull through, give new life to, be the making of, reinforce, reenforce, recruit, set forward, put forward, push forward, give a lift, give a shove, give an impulse to, promote, further, forward, advance expedite, speed, quicken, hasten, support, sustain, uphold, prop, hold up, bolster, cradle, nourish, nurture, nurse, dry nurse, suckle, put out to nurse, manure, cultivate, force, foster, cherish, foment, feed the flame, fan the flame, serve, do service to, tender to, pander to, administer to, subminister to, minister to, tend, attend, wait on, take care of, entertain, smooth the bed of death, oblige, accommodate, consult the wishes of, humor, cheer, encourage, second, stand by, back, back up, pay the piper, abet, work for, make interest for, stick up for, take up the cudgels for, take up the cause of, espouse the cause of, adopt the cause of, advocate, beat up for recruits, press into the service, squire, give moral support to, keep in countenance, countenance, patronize, lend oneself to, lend one's countenance to, smile upon, shine upon, favor, befriend, take in hand, enlist under the banners of, side with, be of use to, subserve, benefit, render a service, conduce.

Amusement

VB amuse, entertain, divert, enliven, tickle the fancy, titillate, raise a smile, put in good humor, cause laughter, create laughter, occasion laughter, raise laughter, excite laughter, produce laughter, convulse with laughter, set the table in a roar, be the death of one, recreate, solace, cheer, rejoice, please, interest, treat, regale, amuse oneself, game, play a game, play pranks, play tricks, sport, disport, toy, wanton, revel, junket, feast, carouse, banquet, make merry, drown care, drive dull care away, frolic, gambol, frisk, romp, caper, dance, keep up the ball, run a rig, sow one's wild oats, have one's fling, take one's pleasure, paint the town red, see life, desipere in loco, play the fool, make holiday, keep holiday, go a Maying, while away the time, beguile the time, kill time, dally, smile, simper, smirk, grin, grin like a Cheshire cat, mock, laugh in one's sleeve, laugh, laugh outright, giggle, titter, snigger, crow, snicker, chuckle, cackle, burst out, burst into a fit of laughter, shout, split, roar, shake one's sides, split one's sides, hold both one's sides, roar with laughter, die with laughter.

Sociality

VB be sociable, know, be acquainted, associate with, sort with, keep company with, walk hand in hand with, eat off the same trencher, club together, consort, bear one company, join, make acquaintance with, make advances, fraternize, embrace, be at home with, feel at home with, make oneself at home with, make free with, crack a bottle with, receive hospitality, live at free quarters, find the latchstring out, visit, pay a visit, interchange visits, interchange cards, call at, call upon, leave a card, drop in, look in, look one up, beat up one's quarters, entertain, give a party, be at home, see one's friends, hang out, keep open house, do the honors, receive, receive with open arms, welcome, give a warm reception, to kill the fatted calf.