What does entertain mean?
Definitions for entertain
ˌɛn tərˈteɪnen·ter·tain
This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word entertain.
Princeton's WordNet
entertainverb
provide entertainment for
entertain, think of, toy with, flirt with, think aboutverb
take into consideration, have in view
"He entertained the notion of moving to South America"
harbor, harbour, hold, entertain, nurseverb
maintain (a theory, thoughts, or feelings)
"bear a grudge"; "entertain interesting notions"; "harbor a resentment"
Wiktionary
entertainverb
To amuse (someone); .
The motivational speaker not only instructed but also entertained the audience.
entertainverb
To have someone over at one's home for a party or visit.
They enjoy entertaining a lot.
entertainverb
To have a thought in mind.
The committee would like to entertain the idea of reducing the budget figures.
Etymology: From entretenir, from entre + tenir, from inter + teneo. For the noun, compare entretien.
Samuel Johnson's Dictionary
To ENTERTAINverb
Etymology: entretenir, French.
His head was so well stored a magazine, that nothing could be proposed which he was not readily furnished to entertain any one in. John Locke.
You shall find an apartment fitted up for you, and shall be every day entertained with beef or mutton of my own feeding. Joseph Addison, Spectator, №. 549.
Be not forgetful to entertain strangers; for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. Heb. iii. 2.
Heav’n, set ope thy everlasting gates,
To entertain my vows of thanks and praise. William Shakespeare, Hen. VI.How many men would you require to the furnishing of this which you take in hand? And how long space would you have them entertained? Edmund Spenser, Ireland.
You, sir, I entertain for one of my hundred; only, I do not like the fashion of your garments. William Shakespeare, King Lear.
I’ll weep and sigh,
And, leaving so his service, follow you,
So please you entertain me. William Shakespeare, Cymbeline.This is the severest purpose God can entertain towards us. Decay of Piety.
David entertained himself with the meditations of God’s law, not his hidden decrees or counsels. Decay of Piety.
The history of the Royal Society shews how well philosophy becometh a narration: the progress of knowledge is as entertaining as that of arms. Henry Felton, on the Classicks.
They were capable of entertaining themselves on a thousand different subjects, without running into the common topicks. Joseph Addison, on Ancient Medals.
In gardens, art can only reduce the beauties of nature to a figure which the common eye may better take in, and is therefore more entertained with. Alexander Pope, Iliads. Pref. to the.
Reason can never permit the mind to entertain probability, in opposition to knowledge and certainty. John Locke.
Wikipedia
entertain
Entertainment is a form of activity that holds the attention and interest of an audience or gives pleasure and delight. It can be an idea or a task, but is more likely to be one of the activities or events that have developed over thousands of years specifically for the purpose of keeping an audience's attention. Although people's attention is held by different things because individuals have different preferences, most forms of entertainment are recognisable and familiar. Storytelling, music, drama, dance, and different kinds of performance exist in all cultures and were supported in royal courts and developed into sophisticated forms, over time becoming available to all citizens. The process has been accelerated in modern times by an entertainment industry that records and sells entertainment products. Entertainment evolves and can be adapted to suit any scale, ranging from an individual who chooses a private entertainment from a now enormous array of pre-recorded products; to a banquet adapted for two; to any size or type of party, with appropriate music and dance; to performances intended for thousands; and even for a global audience. The experience of being entertained has come to be strongly associated with amusement, so that one common understanding of the idea is fun and laughter, although many entertainments have a serious purpose. This may be the case in the various forms of ceremony, celebration, religious festival, or satire for example. Hence, there is the possibility that what appears as entertainment may also be a means of achieving insight or intellectual growth. An important aspect of entertainment is the audience, which turns a private recreation or leisure activity into entertainment. The audience may have a passive role, as in the case of persons watching a play, opera, television show, or film; or the audience role may be active, as in the case of games, where the participant/audience roles may be routinely reversed. Entertainment can be public or private, involving formal, scripted performance, as in the case of theatre or concerts; or unscripted and spontaneous, as in the case of children's games. Most forms of entertainment have persisted over many centuries, evolving due to changes in culture, technology, and fashion for example with stage magic. Films and video games, for example, although they use newer media, continue to tell stories, present drama, and play music. Festivals devoted to music, film, or dance allow audiences to be entertained over a number of consecutive days. Some entertainment, such as public executions, are now illegal in most countries. Activities such as fencing or archery, once used in hunting or war, have become spectator sports. In the same way, other activities, such as cooking, have developed into performances among professionals, staged as global competitions and then broadcast for entertainment. What is entertainment for one group or individual may be regarded as work or an act of cruelty by another. The familiar forms of entertainment have the capacity to cross over different media and have demonstrated a seemingly unlimited potential for creative remix. This has ensured the continuity and longevity of many themes, images, and structures.
ChatGPT
entertain
To entertain means to provide enjoyment, amusement or pleasure to someone, often through various forms of media like music, film, theater, sports etc. It can also mean to hold or maintain in the mind or consider something, as in entertaining an idea or thoughts. Alternatively, it can refer to receiving or hosting guests or visitors hospitably.
Webster Dictionary
Entertainverb
to be at the charges of; to take or keep in one's service; to maintain; to support; to harbor; to keep
Entertainverb
to give hospitable reception and maintenance to; to receive at one's board, or into one's house; to receive as a guest
Entertainverb
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
Entertainverb
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
Entertainverb
to meet or encounter, as an enemy
Entertainverb
to keep, hold, or maintain in the mind with favor; to keep in the mind; to harbor; to cherish; as, to entertain sentiments
Entertainverb
to lead on; to bring along; to introduce
Entertainverb
to receive, or provide entertainment for, guests; as, he entertains generously
Entertainnoun
entertainment
Etymology: [Cf. F. entretien, fr. entretenir.]
Chambers 20th Century Dictionary
Entertain
en-tėr-tān′, v.t. to receive and treat hospitably: to hold the attention of and amuse by conversation: to amuse: to receive and take into consideration: to keep or hold in the mind: to harbour.—n. Entertain′er.—p.adj. Entertain′ing, affording entertainment: amusing.—adv. Entertain′ingly.—n. Entertain′ment, act of entertaining: hospitality at table: that which entertains: the provisions of the table: a banquet: amusement: a performance which delights. [Fr. entretenir—L. inter, among, tenēre, to hold.]
Matched Categories
British National Corpus
Verbs Frequency
Rank popularity for the word 'entertain' in Verbs Frequency: #913
Anagrams for entertain »
Tarentine
terentian
Numerology
Chaldean Numerology
The numerical value of entertain in Chaldean Numerology is: 5
Pythagorean Numerology
The numerical value of entertain in Pythagorean Numerology is: 7
Examples of entertain in a Sentence
We are building something truly special here in Shanghai that not only showcases the best of Disney's storytelling but also celebrates and incorporates China's incredibly rich heritage to create a one-of-a-kind destination that will delight and entertain the people of China for generations to come.
Senate Republicans must hold firm and not even entertain the thought of offering a handful of reforms that the Biden administration would eventually bend or ignore in exchange for a bill like this, we expect them to make that clear today.
...for it is a truth, which the experience of all ages has attested, that the people are commonly most in danger when the means of insuring their rights are in the possession of those of whom they entertain the least suspicion.
Let's face it, right now Democrats could not entertain the idea that they could lose in November, and Republicans can't entertain the idea that they could lose in November, we have to convince the losing side that it was a fair and accurate election. That's how high the stakes are, and that's what election officials are doing to make sure that people believe the results at the end of November.
We have cash and resources and I'd entertain a deal of any size; size is not the issue, the issue is does it make sense for our shareholders.
Popularity rank by frequency of use
References
Translations for entertain
From our Multilingual Translation Dictionary
- ترفيهArabic
- приемам гости, забавлявамBulgarian
- divertir, entretenir, distreureCatalan, Valencian
- bavitCzech
- diddoriWelsh
- unterhaltenGerman
- entretener, divertirSpanish
- lõbustamaEstonian
- viihdyttääFinnish
- divertir, recevoirFrench
- בידר, ארחHebrew
- szórakoztatHungarian
- intertenerInterlingua
- amuzarIdo
- divertireItalian
- 楽しませる, 歓待する, もてなすJapanese
- remitto me, remittor, oblectoLatin
- ontvangen, amuseren, vermakenDutch
- divertir, entreterPortuguese
- развлечься, развлечь, развлекать, развлекатьсяRussian
- zabavatiSlovene
- argëtojAlbanian
- underhållaSwedish
- tumbuizaSwahili
- 招待Chinese
Get even more translations for entertain »
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"entertain." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 25 Mar. 2024. <https://www.definitions.net/definition/entertain>.
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