entertain

(ĕn'tər-tān')

v., -tained, -tain·ing, -tains.

v.tr.

1. To hold the attention of with something amusing or diverting. See synonyms at amuse.
2. To extend hospitality toward: entertain friends at dinner.
3. 1. To consider; contemplate: entertain an idea.
   2. To hold in mind; harbor: entertained few illusions.
4. Archaic. To continue with; maintain.
5. Obsolete. To employ; hire.
6. To give admittance to; receive.

v.intr.

1. To show hospitality to guests.
2. 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.]

entertainer en'ter·tain'er n.

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verb

1. To occupy in an agreeable or pleasing way: amuse, divert, recreate, regale. See excite/bore/interest.
2. To receive (an idea) and take it into consideration: consider, hear of, think of. See thoughts.
3. To think or think about carefully and at length: chew on (or over), cogitate, consider, contemplate, deliberate, excogitate, meditate, mull, muse¹, ponder, reflect, revolve, ruminate, study, think, think out, think over, think through, turn over, weigh. Idioms: cudgel one's brains, put on one's thinking cap, rack one's brain. See thoughts.

v

Definition: accommodate visitors
Antonyms: refuse, reject, turn away

v

Definition: amuse
Antonyms: bore, tire

v

Definition: think about seriously
Antonyms: disregard, forget, reject

IN BRIEF: To keep interested and give pleasure to.

Books are the best friends you can have; they inform you, and entertain you, and they don't talk back. — John Steinbeck (1902-1968).

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For a list of words related to entertain, see:

• Thinking, Judgment, and Consideration - entertain: take into consideration

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See words rhyming with "entertain."

  See crossword solutions for the clue Entertain.

Dansk (Danish)
v. tr. - underholde, beværte, nære, gøre sig
v. intr. - have gæster, have selskabelighed

idioms:

• entertainment industry    underholdningsindustrien

Nederlands (Dutch)
vermaken, onthalen, aangenaam bezighouden, onderhouden, ontspanning bezorgen, koesteren, in aanmerking nemen, een thuisspel spelen

Français (French)
v. tr. - amuser, divertir, distraire (qn), recevoir (des hôtes), considérer, méditer, nourrir (un doute, un espoir), accueillir favorablement (qch)
v. intr. - se divertir, s'amuser, se distraire, être l'hôte de

idioms:

• entertainment industry    industrie du spectacle

Deutsch (German)
v. - erwägen, unterhalten, bewirten

idioms:

• entertainment industry    Unterhaltungsindustrie

Ελληνική (Greek)
v. - φιλοξενώ, περιποιούμαι, δέχομαι, δεξιώνομαι, διασκεδάζω, ψυχαγωγώ, τέρπω, τρέφω, καλλιεργώ, διακατέχομαι από

idioms:

• entertainment industry    βιομηχανία του θεάματος

Italiano (Italian)
nutrire, intrattenere, accogliere

idioms:

• entertainment industry    industria dello spettacolo

Português (Portuguese)
v. - entreter, recepcionar, nutrir idéias

idioms:

• entertainment industry    indústria (f) do entretenimento

Русский (Russian)
принимать гостей, угощать, придерживаться (теории), развлекать

idioms:

• entertainment industry    шоу-бизнес

Español (Spanish)
v. tr. - abrigar, albergar, entretener, recrear, recibir, acoger
v. intr. - entretener, recibir huéspedes, dar comidas o fiestas

idioms:

• entertainment industry    la industria del espectáculo

Svenska (Swedish)
v. - underhålla, roa, ha bjudning

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
娱乐, 怀抱, 招待, 款待, 请客

idioms:

• entertainment industry    娱乐事业

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
v. tr. - 娛樂, 懷抱, 招待
v. intr. - 款待, 請客

idioms:

• entertainment industry    娛樂事業

한국어 (Korean)
v. tr. - 즐겁게 하다, 마음 속에 품다, 환대하다, 용납하다
v. intr. - 환대하다

日本語 (Japanese)
v. - もてなす, 楽しませる, 抱く, 心に抱く

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(فعل) يفكر, يستضيف‏

עברית (Hebrew)
v. tr. - ‮בידר, אירח, קיבל אורחים, נטר, שקל, שיעשע‬
v. intr. - ‮בידר, אירח, קיבל אורחים, שיעשע‬

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