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(), 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. You, sir, I entertain for one of my hundred. Shak. 2. To give hospitable reception and maintenance to; to receive at one's board, or into one's house; to receive as a guest. Be not forgetful to entertain strangers; for thereby some have entertained unawares. Heb. xiii. 2. 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. The weary time she can not entertain. Shak. 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. I am not here going to entertain so large a theme as the philosophy of Locke. De Quincey. A En°tertain" (), v. i.To receive, or provide entertainment for, guests; as, he entertains generously. En°tertain" n.[Cf. F. entretien, fr. entretenir.] Entertainment. [Obs.] Spenser. スポンサード リンク
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