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What is "entertain"

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entertain
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
entertain
verb
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES
entertain guests (=have guests at your house or another place for a meal or party)
▪ Their garden is a wonderful place to entertain guests.
COLLOCATIONS FROM CORPUS
■ ADVERB
even
▪ He even entertained them down here, but she took it all in her stride.
▪ I even entertained, though for the briefest minute, the notion of giving up Jasper altogether.
▪ Do not even entertain the possibility that it will not.
▪ Nor should we even entertain a strategy so tortuously contrived and, in our situation, so unnatural.
▪ It causes no real damage and may even entertain.
highly
▪ It was all highly entertaining and colourful, especially after a couple of days of shows that explored new boundaries of tedium.
▪ The morals and ethics are obvious, the comedy more subtle and highly entertaining.
▪ My take on this particular part was that it was highly entertaining.
more
▪ Cassie entertained more than a suspicion that John would definitely prove to be very ideologically unsound indeed!
▪ On the other hand, if you attended the other concert, perhaps the evening was more entertaining.
▪ However, infinitely more entertaining is a gentle stroking on the inside of the upper thigh.
▪ Maximum public acceptance will require that interactive catalog services have a more entertaining visual appearance than traditional text-intensive catalogs have had.
▪ But the myth was more entertaining when dull but inescapable facts were omitted.
▪ The 1975 Hoosiers may have been a more entertaining team.
▪ If Polly ever entertained more than three people at the same time some one had to bring their own chair.
▪ Ridicule is a decidedly more entertaining version of the genre with the grace to flash us some intelligence and self-consciousness.
most
▪ We were entertained most generously both in people's homes and in some of the many splendid restaurants.
▪ In this era of specialized travel, arguably the most entertaining new publications take a different approach.
▪ In fact, Holden has long been the most entertaining City Council Member.
▪ Which, for those of us on the outside, is the 49ers at their most entertaining.
▪ The most entertaining moments of the debate took place during acerbic cross fires among the leading candidates.
very
▪ Donna Landry entertains very little doubt that Leapor's poetry is basically lesbian though the case is not argued in depth.
▪ It was a very entertaining, albeit fabricated, film.
▪ The plot unfolds engagingly, with some very entertaining video segments.
▪ One is very charming, very entertaining, very everything other than responsible, and has no money.
▪ George Lyttelton, father of Humphrey, was once very entertained by a hat like that.
▪ The best reason for including a Giant in your army is that they are very entertaining!
▪ Nobody likes to admit that they entertain very little, or that they rarely enjoy it when they do.
■ NOUN
audience
▪ Radio producers have to remind themselves each week that radio broadcasting isn't about selling records, but about entertaining an audience.
▪ Perrault wanted not only to entertain his audience, but to teach a specific moral lesson with each of his tales.
▪ In Hollywood they would be able to entertain their vast worldwide audience in relative freedom.
client
▪ They wanted somewhere really stunning to entertain clients of a major insurance group.
crowd
▪ But, in a tremendous game that thoroughly entertained the big crowd, Garryowen played a storm.
▪ Morris dancers, instead of soap box politicians, entertained the crowd at the revival.
▪ Before the finals the veterans came out to entertain the crowd.
doubt
▪ If she had entertained any doubts before, they had gone for ever.
▪ Donna Landry entertains very little doubt that Leapor's poetry is basically lesbian though the case is not argued in depth.
▪ Except when he was entertaining I doubt if he ever sat down to a three-course meal.
▪ He had come to entertain serious doubts about it himself.
family
▪ Devon and Cumbria, among the worst hit by the disease, were leading contenders to entertain the Downing Street family.
friend
▪ Diana stays at Highgrove and entertains her old friend David Waterhouse for lunch.
▪ Voice over Douglas Cox is now safely back at home entertaining his friends with his tales of bravery.
▪ The government is planning lavish festivities to entertain all the friends that it claims to have.
▪ Sarah was invited to Diana's wedding and entertained her royal friend in her apartment near Clapham Junction in south London.
▪ In a good position for watching the proceedings were the carriages of three or four noblemen who were entertaining their friends.
▪ All of the people who were going to entertain these friends were there to greet them.
▪ My family in Nottingham entertained a friend who stayed with us for several days.
guest
▪ They were evidently able to spend unlimited roubles on receiving and entertaining guests from the West.
▪ She also loved to entertain guests at the farmhouse or socialize at dinner out in the community.
▪ In truth no expense will be spared to royally entertain the guests on board the Champagne Orient Express.
▪ There is live music to entertain guests several evenings a week.
▪ Now what more can he do to pass the evening pleasantly, and entertain his guests?
▪ Baron Ferdinand wanted to house his fine collections and have somewhere to entertain his guests.
▪ What are you thinking of, entertaining guests here in your revolting lair?
▪ He was in residence mainly only at weekends, but entertained no guests.
home
▪ Wives of diplomats are expected to spend evenings out, or entertain at home.
▪ Hence, she may be prohibited from entertaining others in the home.
▪ Dame Sybil Connolly, internationally renowned interior designer, entertains at her private home in Dublin.
hope
▪ Most of official Washington entertained little hope of an early improvement in East-West relations.
▪ However, I do not encourage the hon. Gentleman to entertain high hopes in that regard.
▪ Most significantly on my sense of a distant but still valid national identity-until then I had entertained hopes of return.
▪ After this it is possible for labouring poets to entertain far greater hopes of public impact.
▪ Meanwhile that one Catholic entertained the hope that his freedom to defend the Copernican system might yet be restored.
▪ Nor, until tonight, had he dared entertain any hope of release.
idea
▪ Hypocrites! he thought, and entertained a fugitive idea that Bella and Jim needed him.
▪ There is factual evidence to support the view that Storni entertained the idea of suicide long before 1938.
▪ To entertain the idea that they are matters which are open to discussion is in fact deeply offensive.
▪ Even if the miracle happened, would she entertain the idea of living in the Shires?
▪ The problem is that each of those imputing personality to the state entertains a different idea of what it is.
notion
▪ She entertained but fleetingly the notion of ringing the Bishop.
people
▪ Minto was always happy to entertain young people, and the invitation was issued.
▪ To this point his life was otherwise full of nothing but the petty disputes that entertained church people and bored everyone else.
▪ No doubt the clients he entertained here were people who expected the best.
▪ I saw music as a way to perform and entertain people.
▪ You can entertain people as you entertain yourself.
▪ If Polly ever entertained more than three people at the same time some one had to bring their own chair.
▪ You can entertain people as you entertain yourself.
possibility
▪ So you should entertain the possibility of communicating more complex thoughts by building more complex sentences.
▪ For a few seconds I entertained the possibility.
▪ It entertains the possibility of amelioration and even of cure.
▪ Gilderians never entertain the possibility that people function from motives other than economic.
▪ Most other respondents categorically refused to entertain the possibility.
▪ Do not even entertain the possibility that it will not.
story
▪ In breaks in our work Edward entertained me with curious stories of the old alchemists.
▪ While Violette entertained them with stories of increasing complexity, Katherine from beneath lowered lids stole occasional glances at Carlo.
thought
▪ But he never entertained the thought of just walking away.
▪ How could she, even fleetingly, entertain such a thought for a man who despised her so deeply and so openly?
▪ To the point where Valerie would entertain the thought that Casey was possessed.
▪ He had entertained thoughts of marrying her and raising a family, but he entered the Society instead.
visitor
▪ They had to entertain the visitors and Felipe would not let Maggie slide out of it.
▪ Trainers at the Wildlife Theater entertain and educate visitors about the animals, and share some of their training methods.
▪ If he was entertaining visitors, he might not be at all pleased to have her arriving uninvited on the doorstep.
▪ The museum would entertain visitors to the Canyon with the history of the entire Four Corners region.
▪ An attractive house, used by the State to entertain foreign visitors.
■ VERB
keep
▪ If a composer remembers to keep this audience entertained, think what he can say to them all at the same time.
▪ Mrs Keep entertained with chapters of popular novels.
▪ He, Eric and I were supposed to keep Blyth entertained.
▪ Also, hundreds of costumed characters will keep visitors entertained throughout the day.
▪ Back in the Rathausplatz a seven-piece jazz band of students dressed up in 1920s' costume was keeping a large crowd entertained.
▪ I keep it for entertaining mostly.
▪ While no great leap forward stylistically, it has enough chewy bits to surprise listeners and keep them entertained through repeated listenings.
prepare
▪ Free workers are prepared to entertain a bigger downside risk if the upside on reward matches it.
▪ But be prepared to entertain yourself: The expensively appointed restaurant usually is subdued and was deathly quiet on a recent visit.
▪ She guessed these were harlots who were prepared to entertain the men according to their preferences.
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER ENTRIES
▪ About a fifth of their income is spent on entertaining clients.
▪ An important part of the job is entertaining business clients.
▪ Being a sociable person, Eva loved entertaining.
▪ Donna entertains at home on a regular basis.
▪ I meet a lot of people, but I don't entertain much myself.
▪ It's Scott's personality that really inspires and entertains.
▪ Mike often gets home late when he's entertaining business clients.
▪ This is a easy but impressive dish if you are entertaining at home.
EXAMPLES FROM CORPUS
▪ As always, Costas is entertaining and well-spoken, and his monologues are undeniably passionate.
▪ Eventually this became independent; now it produces sought after family shows to entertain the elderly and to raise funds for charity.
▪ She entertained but fleetingly the notion of ringing the Bishop.
▪ Such a call might have wonderfully entertaining aspects.
▪ The plot unfolds engagingly, with some very entertaining video segments.
▪ They had a hugely entertaining and morale-building win Sunday, but it was against the Bengals.
▪ What am I doing, entertaining David Kent in my dressing-gown?
▪ While no great leap forward stylistically, it has enough chewy bits to surprise listeners and keep them entertained through repeated listenings.
The Collaborative International Dictionary
Entertain

Entertain \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.

Entertain

Entertain \En`ter*tain"\, v. i. To receive, or provide entertainment for, guests; as, he entertains generously.

Entertain

Entertain \En`ter*tain"\, n. [Cf. F. entretien, fr. entretenir.] Entertainment. [Obs.]
--Spenser.

Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary
entertain

late 15c., "to keep up, maintain, to keep (someone) in a certain frame of mind," from Middle French entretenir, from Old French entretenir "hold together, stick together, support" (12c.), from entre- "among" (from Latin inter; see inter-) + tenir "to hold" (from Latin tenere; see tenet).\n

\nSense of "have a guest" is late 15c.; that of "gratify, amuse" is 1620s. Meaning "to allow (something) to consideration, take into the mind" (of opinions, notions, etc.) is 1610s. Related: Entertained; entertaining.

Wiktionary
entertain

n. 1 (context obsolete English) entertainment#English; pleasure. 2 (context obsolete English) reception of a guest; welcome. vb. 1 (context transitive English) To amuse (someone); to engage the attention of agreeably. 2 (context transitive and intransitive English) To have someone over at one's home for a party or visit. 3 (context transitive English) To receive and take into consideration; to have a thought in mind. 4 (context obsolete English) To take or keep in one's service; to maintain; to support; to harbour; to keep. 5 (context obsolete English) To meet or encounter, as an enemy. 6 (context obsolete English) To lead on; to bring along; to introduce.

WordNet
entertain

  1. v. provide entertainment for

  2. take into consideration, have in view; "He entertained the notion of moving to South America" [syn: think of, toy with, flirt with, think about]

  3. maintain (a theory, thoughts, or feelings); "bear a grudge"; "entertain interesting notions"; "harbor a resentment" [syn: harbor, harbour, hold, nurse]

Usage examples of "entertain".

The hall was a mass of flowers and a band played to entertain them while they waited.

There was a dining room spacious enough for entertaining on the first floor and another ample room that Adams made his office for public business.

Washington as noble as expected, Adams proved surprisingly entertaining.

The two, the fire-goddess and the mountain god, are supposed to be chatting together while their Ainu hosts and hostesses entertain them with song the night long, and with food and drink.

Now and then, it developed, Akron and his sister entertained in their apartment people Jean had known in Paris.

The pure and sublime idea which they entertained of the Supreme Being escaped the gross conception of the Pagan multitude, who were at a loss to discover a spiritual and solitary God, that was neither represented under any corporeal figure or visible symbol, nor was adored with the accustomed pomp of libations and festivals, of altars and sacrifices.

She answered all questions to the point, and entertained the company with her remarks on French manners, so different to Venetian customs.

I felt this was an occasion for a little gentle management, and I answered good-humouredly that the love he thought he noticed was wholly imaginary, and that he was wrong to entertain any suspicions as to so virtuous a girl as Donna Ignazia.

He had entertained the idea of incorporating the asteroid occupants into his own staff, reckoning on their antiestablishment tendencies.

But we are still assured by monuments of brass and marble, by the Imperial medals, and by the Antonine column, that neither the prince nor the people entertained any sense of this signal obligation, since they unanimously attribute their deliverance to the providence of Jupiter, and to the interposition of Mercury.

The strict morality which so generally prevails where the Mussulmans have complete ascendency prevented the Sheik from entertaining any such sinful hopes as an European might have ventured to cherish under the like circumstances, and he saw no chance of gratifying his love except by inducing the girl to embrace his own creed.

They were Muslims, though one could scarcely have known it from their speech, which was Russian, though inflected with the singsong Azerbaijani accent that wrongly struck the senior members of the engineering staff as entertaining.

The surveillance over the two prisoners had somewhat relaxed, due largely to the belief entertained by Abu Batn that the women would not dare to invite the perils of the jungle by attempting to escape from captors who were, at the same time, their protectors from even greater dangers.

Mr Wilkinson, later to become a bishop, preached entertaining sermons to the lighthearted Belgravians and the organist regarded the service as an opportunity to play Mendelssohn.

It exuded the scent of bitterroot, and now, with the rotting smell in her nostrils, she entertained the irrational notion that it still lay in wait for her, that it knew that Annon still existed inside her.