entertain
[verb]
Synonyms:
- amuse, charm, cheer, delight, please, regale
- show hospitality to, accommodate, be host to, harbour, have company, lodge, put up, treat
- consider, conceive, contemplate, imagine, keep in mind, think about

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Contrasted words: banish, eject, throw out, ignore, neglect
Related Words: invite, admit, receive, cherish, cultivate, foster, feed, nourish, delight, enliven, gladden, gratify, please, regale, rejoice

[TahlilGaran] English Synonym Dictionary ▲

en‧ter‧tain /ˌentəˈteɪn $ -tər-/ verb
[Word Family: noun: entertainer, entertainment, entertaining; verb: entertain; adverb: entertainingly; adjective: entertaining]
[Date: 1400-1500; Language: Old French; Origin: entretenir 'to hold together, support', from tenir 'to hold']

1. [intransitive and transitive] to amuse or interest people in a way that gives them pleasure
entertain somebody with something
She entertained the children with stories, songs and drama.
A museum should aim to entertain as well as educate.

2. [intransitive and transitive] to invite people to your home for a meal, party etc, or to take your company’s customers somewhere to have a meal, drinks etc:
Mark usually does the cooking when we entertain.
Do you get an allowance for entertaining clients?

3. entertain an idea/hope/thought etc formal to consider an idea etc, or allow yourself to think that something might happen or be true:
She could never entertain the idea of living in the country.

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

entertain
verb
I. invite sb to eat/drink with you
ADV. lavishly The Bradfords always entertained lavishly at Christmas.
PREP. to They entertained us to lunch in their new house.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

entertain
II. interest/amuse sb
ADV. thoroughly Everyone was thoroughly entertained.
PREP. with She entertained us with stories of her travels.
PHRASES keep sb entertained We hired a magician to keep the children entertained.

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲

entertain
III. think about an idea/hope/feeling
ADV. seriously I am amazed that such a crackpot scheme could be seriously entertained.
briefly briefly entertaining hopes that he might keep the affair a secret
VERB + ENTERTAIN be prepared to, be willing to She would make no promises, but was prepared to entertain the idea.
refuse to

[TahlilGaran] Collocations Dictionary ▲