entertain

• entertaine (obsolete)

From Middle English entertenen, from Middle French entretenir, from Old French entretenir, from entre (“among”) + tenir (“to hold”), from Latin inter + teneō (“hold, keep”). For the noun, compare French entretien.

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˌɛntəˈteɪn/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˌɛntɚˈteɪn/,

  • Audio (US):

    (file)

  • Audio (New Jersey):

    (file)

• Hyphenation: en‧ter‧tain
• Rhymes: -eɪn

entertain (third-person singular simple present entertains, present participle entertaining, simple past and past participle entertained)

1. (transitive) to amuse (someone); to engage the attention of agreeably

   to entertain friends with lively conversation

   The motivational speaker not only instructed but also entertained the audience.

2. (transitive and intransitive) to have someone over at one's home for a party or visit

   They enjoy entertaining a lot.

   • 1611, The Holy Bible,  (King James Version), London: Robert Barker, , →OCLC, Hebrews 13:2:

     Be not forgetful to entertain strangers […]

3. (transitive) to receive and take into consideration; to have a thought in mind

   The committee would like to entertain the idea of reducing the budget figures.

   to entertain a proposal

   • 1851, Thomas De Quincey, Literary Reminiscences:

     I am not here going to entertain so large a theme as the philosophy of Locke.

   • 1850, Nathaniel Hawthorne, The Scarlet Letter, a Romance, Boston, Mass.: Ticknor, Reed, and Fields, →OCLC:

     A rumour gained ground, — and, however absurd, was entertained by some very sensible people.

4. (obsolete) to take or keep in one's service; to maintain; to support; to harbour; to keep
   • c. 1589–1590 (date written), Christopher Marlo[we], edited by Tho[mas] Heywood, The Famous Tragedy of the Rich Iew of Malta. , London: I B for Nicholas Vavasour, , published 1633, →OCLC, Act I:

     Intreat 'em fair, and give them friendly speech,
     And seem to them as if thy sins were great,
     Till thou hast gotten to be entertain'd.

   • c. 1603–1606, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of King Lear”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies  (First Folio), London: Isaac Iaggard, and Ed Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, , page vi:

     You, sir, I entertain for one of my hundred.

5. (obsolete) to meet or encounter, as an enemy
   • 1599 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Life of Henry the Fift”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies  (First Folio), London: Isaac Iaggard, and Ed Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, :

     O noble English, that could entertain with half their forces the full pride of France

   • 1860, British Parliament, Naval Discipline Act‎, page 1069:

     Penalty for entertaining a Deserter

6. (obsolete) to lead on; to bring along; to introduce
   • 1651–1653, Jer[emy] Taylor, ΕΝΙΑΥΤΟΣ . A Course of Sermons for All the Sundays of the Year. , 2nd edition, London: Richard Royston , published 1655, →OCLC:

     to baptize all nations, and to entertain them into the services and institutions of the holy Jesus

7. (Philippines, business) to help; to assist

• entertainer
• entertaining
• entertainment

entertain (uncountable)

1. (obsolete) Entertainment; pleasure.
   • c. 1603 (date written), Iohn Marston, The Malcontent, London: V S for William Aspley, , published 1604, →OCLC, Act V, scene iii:

     And Celſo, prethee let it be thy care to night / To haue ſome pretty ſhew, to ſolemnize / Our high inſtalement, ſome muſike maſkerie: / Weele giue faire entertaine vnto Maria […]

2. (obsolete) Reception of a guest; welcome.
   • 1596, Edmund Spenser, “Book IV, Canto VIII”, in The Faerie Queene. , London: [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC:

     But neede, that answers not to all requests, / Bad them not looke for better entertayne […]

• entertaine

• “entertain”, in The Century Dictionary , New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.
• “entertain”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
• “entertain”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.

• Tarentine, Terentian, antienter