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, adjective

Example sentences from the Web for entertained

British Dictionary definitions for entertained

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