entertain
[ en-ter-teyn ]
/ ˌɛn tərˈteɪn /
verb (used with object)
verb (used without object)
to exercise hospitality; entertain company; provide entertainment for guests: They loved to talk, dance, and entertain.
Origin of entertain
1425–75; late Middle English
entertenen to hold mutually < Middle French
entretenir ≪ Vulgar Latin
*intertenēre, equivalent to Latin
inter-
inter- +
tenēre to hold
synonym study for entertain
1. See
amuse.
OTHER WORDS FROM entertain
o·ver·en·ter·tained, adjective pre·en·ter·tain, verb (used with object) un·en·ter·tained, adjective well-en·ter·tained, adjectiveWords nearby entertain
Example sentences from the Web for entertain
British Dictionary definitions for entertain
entertain
/ (ˌɛntəˈteɪn) /
verb
to provide amusement for (a person or audience)
to show hospitality to (guests)
(tr)
to hold in the mind
to entertain an idea
Word Origin for entertain
C15: from Old French
entretenir, from
entre- mutually +
tenir to hold, from Latin
tenēre