1[intransitiveI, transitiveT]PERFORM to amuse or interest people in a way that gives them pleasure 使快乐;使有兴趣
entertain somebody with something
She entertained the children with stories, songs and drama.
她又讲故事又唱歌,还演戏,把孩子们逗得很开心。
A museum should aim to entertain as well as educate.
博物馆应该致力于成为娱乐和教育功能并重的场所。
2[intransitiveI, transitiveT]INVITE to invite people to your home for a meal, party etc, or to take your company’s customers somewhere to have a meal, drinks etc 招待,款待,请客
Mark usually does the cooking when we entertain.
我们招待客人时通常都是马克下厨。
Do you get an allowance for entertaining clients?
你招待客户有补助吗?
3entertain an idea/hope/thought etcformalTHINK something/HAVE A THOUGHT to consider an idea etc, or allow yourself to think that something might happen or be true 怀有某种想法/希望/看法等
She could never entertain the idea of living in the country.
她绝不可能有住到乡下去的想法。
Examples from the Corpus
entertain an idea/hope/thought etc• He had entertained thoughts of marrying her and raising a family, but he entered the Society instead.• Most significantly on my sense of a distant but still validnational identity-until then I had entertained hopes of return.
Examples from the Corpus
entertain• Being a sociable person, Eva lovedentertaining.• It's Scott's personality that really inspires and entertains.• They had a hugely entertaining and morale-building win Sunday, but it was against the Bengals.• As always, Costas is entertaining and well-spoken, and his monologues are undeniably passionate.• Such a call might have wonderfully entertainingaspects.• Donna entertains at home on a regularbasis.• This is a easy but impressivedish if you are entertaining at home.• An important part of the job is entertaining business clients.• Mike often gets home late when he's entertaining business clients.• She entertained but fleetingly the notion of ringing the Bishop.• About a fifth of their income is spent on entertaining clients.• What am I doing, entertaining David Kent in my dressing-gown?• I meet a lot of people, but I don't entertain much myself.• Eventually this became independent; now it producessought after family shows to entertain the elderly and to raisefunds for charity.• While no great leapforward stylistically, it has enough chewybits to surpriselisteners and keep them entertained through repeated listenings.• The plotunfolds engagingly, with some very entertainingvideosegments.
entertain somebody with something• He still occasionally entertains his family with his accordion playing.
entertaining clients• It is no longer acceptable to pretend to be entertaining clients while overtly pushing your business at them.
Originentertain
(1400-1500)Old Frenchentretenir“to hold together, support”, from tenir“to hold”
1invite sb to eat/drink with you款待ADVERB | PREPOSITIONADVERB➤lavishly盛情地款待◇The Bradfords always entertained lavishly at Christmas.布拉德福德夫婦在聖誕節總是盛情地款待大家。PREPOSITION➤to (BrE) 以⋯款待◇They entertained us to lunch in their new house.他們請我們在他們的新居吃午飯。entertain
verb²
2interest/amuse sb使快樂ADVERB | PREPOSITION | PHRASESADVERB➤thoroughly使非常愉快◇Everyone was thoroughly entertained.每個人都給逗樂了。PREPOSITION➤with以⋯使人快樂◇She entertained us with stories of her travels.她給我們講她的旅遊見聞以逗我們開心。PHRASES➤entertain and educate, entertain and enlighten, entertain and inform娛樂和教育;寓教於樂◇Films can entertain and educate, make you laugh or cry.電影有娛樂和教育的作用,能引人發笑,也能催人淚下。➤keep sb entertained使某人愉悅◇We hired a magician to keep the children entertained.我們請了一個魔術師來逗孩子們開心。entertain
verb³
3think about an idea/hope/feeling懷有某種思想、希望或感覺ADVERB | VERB + ENTERTAINADVERB➤seriously認真考慮◇I am amazed that such a crazy idea could be seriously entertained.有人居然會專注於如此古怪的想法,我感到大為驚訝。➤briefly短時間懷有想法◇briefly entertaining hopes that he might keep the affair a secret曾有一刻希望他能對這件事保守秘密VERB + ENTERTAIN➤be prepared to, be willing to準備接受;願意考慮◇She would make no promises, but was willing to entertain the idea.她沒有作任何承諾,但願意考慮這個想法。➤refuse to拒絕考慮
entertain verb ⇨entertain (entertain sb with amusing stories)⇨greet (entertain guests)entertain
verb
entertain ♦︎ amuseThese words both mean to keep sb interested and happy by telling them things, performing for them or doing an activity with them.这两个词均表示娱乐、使快乐。PATTERNS AND COLLOCATIONS 句型和搭配◆to entertain / amuse sb with sth◆to keep sb entertained / amused■entertain [transitive, intransitive] to interest sb and make them enjoy themselves by telling them things or performing for them使快乐;娱乐◆He entertained us for hours with his stories and jokes.他讲故事说笑话,逗我们乐了好几个小时。◆The aim of the series is both to entertain and inform.这套系列节目是为了寓教于乐。 see also entertainer ⇨ actor, entertaining ⇨ funny■amuse [transitive] to make time pass pleasantly for sb/yourself by doing an activity提供消遣;使娱乐◆Playing with water can keep children amused for hours.玩水能让孩子们乐上好几个小时。◆The visitors amused themselves with sightseeing, painting and picnics.游客观光、绘画、野餐,玩得很高兴。 see also amusing ⇨ funny