entertain

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

1. v. To hold the attention of with something amusing or diverting. See Synonyms at amuse.
2. v. To extend hospitality toward: entertain friends at dinner.
3. v. To consider; contemplate: entertain an idea.
4. v. To hold in mind; harbor: entertained few illusions.
5. v. Archaic To continue with; maintain.
6. v. Obsolete To employ; hire.
7. v. To give admittance to; receive.
8. v. To show hospitality to guests.
9. v. To provide entertainment.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. To maintain; keep up; hold.
2. To maintain physically; provide for; support; hence, to take into service.
3. To provide comfort or gratification for; care for by hospitality, attentions, or diversions; gratify or amuse; hence, to receive and provide for, as a guest, freely or for pay; furnish with accommodation, refreshment, or diversion: as, to entertain one's friends at dinner, or with music and conversation; to be entertained at an inn or at the theater.
4. To provide for agreeably, as the passage of time; while away; divert.
5. To take in; receive; give admittance to; admit.
6. To take into the mind; take into consideration; consider with reference to decision or action; give heed to; harbor: as, to entertain a proposal.
7. To hold in the mind; maintain; cherish: as, to entertain decided opinions; he entertains the belief that he is inspired.
8. To engage; give occupation to, as in a contest.
9. To treat; consider; regard.
10. Synonyms Divert, Beguile. See amuse.
11. To exercise hospitality; give entertainments; receive company: as, he entertains generously.
12. n. Entertainment.

Wiktionary

1. v. transitive To amuse (someone); said especially of a professional entertainer.
2. v. transitive and intransitive To have someone over at one's home for a party or visit.
3. v. transitive To have a thought in mind.
4. n. obsolete Entertainment.

GNU Webster's 1913

1. v. To be at the charges of; to take or keep in one's service; to maintain; to support; to harbor; to keep.
2. v. To give hospitable reception and maintenance to; to receive at one's board, or into one's house; to receive as a guest.
3. v. To engage the attention of agreeably; to amuse with that which makes the time pass pleasantly; to divert
4. v. To give reception to; to receive, in general; to receive and take into consideration; to admit, treat, or make use of.
5. v. obsolete To meet or encounter, as an enemy.
6. v. To keep, hold, or maintain in the mind with favor; to keep in the mind; to harbor; to cherish.
7. v. obsolete To lead on; to bring along; to introduce.
8. v. To receive, or provide entertainment for, guests.
9. n. obsolete Entertainment.

WordNet 3.0

1. v. take into consideration, have in view
2. v. maintain (a theory, thoughts, or feelings)
3. v. provide entertainment for