entertainment

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

1. n. The act of entertaining.
2. n. The art or field of entertaining.
3. n. Something that amuses, pleases, or diverts, especially a performance or show.
4. n. The pleasure afforded by being entertained; amusement: The comedian performed for our entertainment.
5. n. Archaic Maintenance; support.
6. n. Obsolete Employment.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. n. The act of furnishing accommodation, refreshment, good cheer, or diversion; that which entertains, or the act of entertaining, as by hospitality, agreeable attentions, or amusement. Specifically— Hospitable treatment, accommodation, or provision for the physical wants, as of guests, with or without pay: as, a house of entertainment for travelers.
2. n. An exhibition or a performance which affords instruction or amusement; the act of providing gratification or diversion: as, the entertainment of friends with a supper and dance; a musical or dramatic entertainment.
3. n. Maintenance; support; physical or mental provision; means of maintenance, or the state of being supported, as in service, under suffering, etc.
4. n. Mental enjoyment; instruction or amusement afforded by anything seen or heard, as a spectacle, a play, conversation or story, music or recitation.
5. n. Reception; treatment.
6. n. A holding or harboring in the mind; a taking into consideration: as, the entertainment of extravagant notions; the entertainment of a proposal.
7. n. Synonyms and Diversion, Recreation, etc. See pastime.

Wiktionary

1. n. An activity designed to give pleasure or relaxation to an audience, no matter whether the audience participates passively as in watching opera or a movie, or actively as in games.
2. n. a show put on for the enjoyment or amusement of others
3. n. obsolete maintenance or support
4. n. Admission into service; service.
5. n. obsolete Payment of soldiers or servants; wages.

GNU Webster's 1913

1. n. The act of receiving as host, or of amusing, admitting, or cherishing; hospitable reception; also, reception or treatment, in general.
2. n. That which entertains, or with which one is entertained
3. n. Hospitality; hospitable provision for the wants of a guest; especially, provision for the table; a hospitable repast; a feast; a formal or elegant meal.
4. n. That which engages the attention agreeably, amuses or diverts, whether in private, as by conversation, etc., or in public, by performances of some kind; amusement.
5. n. Admission into service; service.
6. n. obsolete Payment of soldiers or servants; wages.

WordNet 3.0

1. n. an activity that is diverting and that holds the attention