entertain. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language: Fourth Edition. 2000.

The American Heritage^® Dictionary of the English Language: Fourth Edition. 2000.

entertain

SYLLABICATION:	en·ter·tain
PRONUNCIATION:	ntr-tn
VERB:	Inflected forms: en·ter·tained, en·ter·tain·ing, en·ter·tains
TRANSITIVE VERB:	1. To hold the attention of with something amusing or diverting. See synonyms at amuse. 2. To extend hospitality toward: entertain friends at dinner. 3a. To consider; contemplate: entertain an idea. b. 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.
INTRANSITIVE VERB:	1. To show hospitality to guests. 2. To provide entertainment.
ETYMOLOGY:	Middle English entertinen, to maintain, from Old French entretenir, from Medieval Latin intertenre : Latin inter, among; see inter– + Latin tenre, to hold; see ten- in Appendix I.
OTHER FORMS:	enter·tainer —NOUN


The American Heritage^® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Copyright © 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by the Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.