entertain

Meaning

1. to amuse (someone); to engage the attention of agreeably
2. to have someone over at one's home for a party or visit
3. to receive and take into consideration; to have a thought in mind
4. (obsolete) to take or keep in one's service; to maintain; to support; to harbour; to keep
5. (obsolete) to meet or encounter, as an enemy
6. (obsolete) to lead on; to bring along; to introduce
7. to help; to assist

entertain

amuse

treat

receive

divert

harbour

host

delight

feast

interest

welcome

hold

nurse

please

harbor

regale

cherish

gratify

satisfy

serve

behave

conduct oneself

greet

accommodate

distract

maintain

make welcome

bear

make laugh

pander

tend

comfort

console

beguile

consider

think

flirt with

think about

think of

toy with

junket

nurture

recreate

play with

joke

act

look after

reception

cheer up

gladden

back

counteract

cover

neutralize

protect

put up

safeguard

secure

shelter

shield

abstract

charm

content

humor

make glad

oblige

suit

felicitate

be good for

mediate

lavish attention on

indulge

solace

tickle

contemplate

master of ceremonies

feel

have

take

caress

fondle

pay attention to

show hospitality to

treat to a feast

invite

frolic

gallivant

jollify

revel

skylark

sport

attend on

attend to

court

groom

spruce

admit

take care of

aliment

provide

subsist

support

sustain

banquet

wine and dine

foster

present

keep company

represent

deliberate

ponder

reflect

study

feed

amusement

pleasure

fun

hobby

receive guests

treat well

tickle someone’s fancy

enjoy

article

item

slowly

Frequency

Hyphenated as

en‧ter‧tain

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˌɛntəˈteɪn/

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.