# entertain
## English
### Alternative forms

* entertaine (obsolete)

### Etymology

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.

### Pronunciation

* (Received Pronunciation) IPA: /ˌɛntəˈteɪn/
* (General American) IPA: /ˌɛntɚˈteɪn/, [ˌɛɾ̃ɚˈtʰeɪn]
** Audio (US):(file)
** Audio (New Jersey):(file)
* Hyphenation: en‧ter‧tain
* Rhymes: -eɪn

### Verb

entertain (third-person singular simple present entertains, present participle entertaining, simple past and past participle entertained)
* (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.
* (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 […]
* (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.
* (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[ohn] B[eale] 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[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act XXVI, scene iii], page vi:You, sir, I entertain for one of my hundred.
* (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[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene ii]: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
* (obsolete) to lead on; to bring along; to introduce
** 1651–1653, Jer[emy] Taylor, ΕΝΙΑΥΤΟΣ [Eniautos]. 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
* (Philippines, business) to help; to assist

#### Derived terms

* entertainability
* entertainable
* entertainer
* entertaining
* entertainment

#### Translations

    The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

### Noun

entertain (uncountable)
* (obsolete) Entertainment; pleasure.
** c. 1603 (date written), Iohn Marston, The Malcontent, London: […] V[alentine] S[immes] 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 […]
* (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 […]

#### Alternative forms

* entertaine

### Further reading

* William Dwight Whitney, Benjamin E[li] Smith, editors (1911), “entertain”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., →OCLC.
* “entertain”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
* “entertain”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.

### Anagrams

* Tarentine, Terentian, antienter