Search Result for "entertain": 
Wordnet 3.0

VERB (3)

1. provide entertainment for;

2. take into consideration, have in view;
- Example: "He entertained the notion of moving to South America"
[syn: entertain, think of, toy with, flirt with, think about]

3. maintain (a theory, thoughts, or feelings);
- Example: "bear a grudge"
- Example: "entertain interesting notions"
- Example: "harbor a resentment"
[syn: harbor, harbour, hold, entertain, nurse]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Entertain \En`ter*tain"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Entertained; p. pr. & vb. n. Entertaining.] [F. entretenir; entre between (L. inter) + tenir to hold, L. tenere. See Tenable.] 1. To be at the charges of; to take or keep in one's service; to maintain; to support; to harbor; to keep. [1913 Webster] You, sir, I entertain for one of my hundred. --Shak. [1913 Webster] 2. To give hospitable reception and maintenance to; to receive at one's board, or into one's house; to receive as a guest. [1913 Webster] Be not forgetful to entertain strangers; for thereby some have entertained unawares. --Heb. xiii. 2. [1913 Webster] 3. To engage the attention of agreeably; to amuse with that which makes the time pass pleasantly; to divert; as, to entertain friends with conversation, etc. [1913 Webster] The weary time she can not entertain. --Shak. [1913 Webster] 4. To give reception to; to receive, in general; to receive and take into consideration; to admit, treat, or make use of; as, to entertain a proposal. [1913 Webster] I am not here going to entertain so large a theme as the philosophy of Locke. --De Quincey. [1913 Webster] A rumor gained ground, -- and, however absurd, was entertained by some very sensible people. --Hawthorne. [1913 Webster] 5. To meet or encounter, as an enemy. [Obs.] --Shak. [1913 Webster] 6. To keep, hold, or maintain in the mind with favor; to keep in the mind; to harbor; to cherish; as, to entertain sentiments. [1913 Webster] 7. To lead on; to bring along; to introduce. [Obs.] [1913 Webster] To baptize all nations, and entertain them into the services institutions of the holy Jesus. --Jer. Taylor. Syn: To amuse; divert; maintain. See Amuse. [1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Entertain \En`ter*tain"\, v. i. To receive, or provide entertainment for, guests; as, he entertains generously. [1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Entertain \En`ter*tain"\, n. [Cf. F. entretien, fr. entretenir.] Entertainment. [Obs.] --Spenser. [1913 Webster]
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

entertain v 1: provide entertainment for 2: take into consideration, have in view; "He entertained the notion of moving to South America" [syn: entertain, think of, toy with, flirt with, think about] 3: maintain (a theory, thoughts, or feelings); "bear a grudge"; "entertain interesting notions"; "harbor a resentment" [syn: harbor, harbour, hold, entertain, nurse]
Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0:

100 Moby Thesaurus words for "entertain": accommodate, admit, allow, amuse, amusement, bear, beguile, bestow, billet, board, bosom, cater to, cherish, cling to, clip, consider, contemplate, convulse, cultivate, delight, disport, dissipation, distraction, diversion, divert, divertissement, do the honors, domicile, embosom, embrace, enjoyment, enliven, entertain guests, entertainment, exhilarate, feed, fondle, foster, fracture one, gaiety, give a party, gladden, gratify, guest, harbor, have, have and hold, hold, hold on to, host, house, hug, inquire into, invite, keep, kill, knock dead, lodge, loosen up, maintain, nourish, nurse, nurture, occupy, play, please, pleasure, preside, put up, quarter, raise a laugh, raise a smile, receive, recreate, recreation, refresh, regale, rejoice, relax, relaxation, relief, room, see about, slay, sleep upon, solace, sport, support, sustain, take under advisement, take under consideration, think it over, throw a party, tickle, titillate, tolerate, treasure, treasure up, treat, wow
Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary:

Entertain Entertainments, "feasts," were sometimes connected with a public festival (Deut. 16:11, 14), and accompanied by offerings (1 Sam. 9:13), in token of alliances (Gen. 26:30); sometimes in connection with domestic or social events, as at the weaning of children (Gen. 21:8), at weddings (Gen. 29:22; John 2:1), on birth-days (Matt. 14:6), at the time of sheep-shearing (2 Sam. 13:23), and of vintage (Judg. 9:27), and at funerals (2 Sam. 3:35; Jer. 16:7). The guests were invited by servants (Prov. 9:3; Matt. 22:3), who assigned them their respective places (1 Sam. 9:22; Luke 14:8; Mark 12:39). Like portions were sent by the master to each guest (1 Sam. 1:4; 2 Sam. 6:19), except when special honour was intended, when the portion was increased (Gen. 43:34). The Israelites were forbidden to attend heathenish sacrificial entertainments (Ex. 34:15), because these were in honour of false gods, and because at such feast they would be liable to partake of unclean flesh (1 Cor. 10:28). In the entertainments common in apostolic times among the Gentiles were frequent "revellings," against which Christians were warned (Rom. 13:13; Gal. 5:21; 1 Pet. 4:3). (See BANQUET.)