entertainment
Language: English
Part of speech: noun
Pronunciation: ipa: /ˌɛn.təˈteɪn.mənt/
ipa: /ˌɛn.tɚˈteɪn.mənt/
rhymes: -eɪnmənt
Forms: form: entertainments
form: entretainment
form: intertainment
Etymology: From Middle English entretenement (“support, maintenance”), from Old French entretenement; see entertain.
Morphologically entertain + -ment.
Senses: examples: text: The delinquents are generally the adventurous type, who have little use for reading and other non-active entertainment.
ref: 1957, William O. Douglas, Roth v. United States:
text: Such abundance must be laid out on superfluous recreations, buildings, ornaments, furniture, equipage, attendants, entertainments, visitations, braveries, and a world of need-nots […]
ref: 2007, Baxter's Practical Works, Volume 1: A Sum of Practical Theology, and Cases ...:
glosses: An activity designed to give pleasure, enjoyment, diversion, amusement, or relaxation to an audience, no matter whether the audience participates passively as in watching opera or a movie, or actively as in games.
glosses: A show put on for the enjoyment or amusement of others.
examples: text: "This," said the matronly presence, ushering me into a low room on the right, "is where the Travellers sit by the fire, and cook what bits of suppers they buy with their fourpences."
"O! Then they have no Entertainment?" said I. For the inscription over the outer door was still running in my head, and I was mentally repeating, in a kind of tune, "Lodging, entertainment, and fourpence each."
ref: 1854?, Charles Dickens, The Seven Poor Travellers:
glosses: Maintenance or support.
examples: text: He must think us some band of strangers i' the adversary's entertainment.
ref: 1601-1608, William Shakespeare, All's Well That Ends Well:
glosses: Admission into service; service.
examples: text: The entertainment of the general upon his first arrival was but six shillings and eight pence.
ref: 1612, John Davies, Discoverie of the True Causes why Ireland was never entirely subdued:
glosses: Payment of soldiers or servants; wages.
examples: text: I prithee, shepherd, if that love or gold
Can in this desert place buy entertainment,
Bring us where we may rest ourselves and feed.
ref: c. 1598–1600 (date written), William Shakespeare, “As You Like It”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene iv]:
text: Tho’ they cut [the beef] into long Pieces, (like Ropes) with the Hide; and dress’d, and eat it half-roasted according to their Custom, and gave it me in the same Manner; yet I thought this contemptible Food, and what a Beggar in England would not have touch’d, the most delicious Entertainment I ever met with.
ref: 1743, Robert Drury, The Pleasant, and Surprizing Adventures of Mr. Robert Drury, during his Fifteen Years Captivity on the Island of Madagascar, London, page 61:
glosses: Reception; (provision of) food to guests or travellers.
Derived terms: advertainment
agri-entertainment
agritainment
angertainment
cricketainment
docutainment
eatertainment
edutainment
entertainment center
entertainment centre
entertainment value
entertoyment
entertrainment
exertainment
infotainment
irritainment
light entertainment
militainment
military-entertainment complex
newstainment
nonentertainment
retailtainment
shoppertainment
sports entertainment
tittytainment