Amuse definition

Amuse





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4 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Amuse \A*muse"\ ([.a]*m[=u]z"), v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Amused}
     ([.a]*m[=u]zd"); p. pr. & vb. n. {Amusing}.] [F. amuser to
     make stay, to detain, to amuse, [`a] (L. ad) + OF. muser. See
     {Muse}, v.]
     1. To occupy or engage the attention of; to lose in deep
        thought; to absorb; also, to distract; to bewilder. [Obs.]


        [1913 Webster]
  
              Camillus set upon the Gauls when they were amused in
              receiving their gold.                 --Holland.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              Being amused with grief, fear, and fright, he could
              not find the house.                   --Fuller.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. To entertain or occupy in a pleasant manner; to stir with
        pleasing or mirthful emotions; to divert.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              A group of children amusing themselves with pushing
              stones from the top [of the cliff], and watching as
              they plunged into the lake.           --Gilpin.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     3. To keep in expectation; to beguile; to delude.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              He amused his followers with idle promises.
                                                    --Johnson.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     Syn: To entertain; gratify; please; divert; beguile; deceive;
          occupy.
  
     Usage: To {Amuse}, {Divert}, {Entertain}. We are amused by
            that which occupies us lightly and pleasantly. We are
            entertained by that which brings our minds into
            agreeable contact with others, as conversation, or a
            book. We are diverted by that which turns off our
            thoughts to something of livelier interest, especially
            of a sportive nature, as a humorous story, or a
            laughable incident.
            [1913 Webster]
  
                  Whatever amuses serves to kill time, to lull the
                  faculties, and to banish reflection. Whatever
                  entertains usually awakens the understanding or
                  gratifies the fancy. Whatever diverts is lively
                  in its nature, and sometimes tumultuous in its
                  effects.                          --Crabb.
            [1913 Webster]

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Amuse \A*muse"\, v. i.
     To muse; to mediate. [Obs.]
     [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  amuse
       v 1: occupy in an agreeable, entertaining or pleasant fashion;
            "The play amused the ladies" [syn: {divert}, {disport}]
       2: make (somebody) laugh; "The clown amused the children"

From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:

  37 Moby Thesaurus words for "amuse":
     absorb, animate, beguile, charm, cheer, convulse, delight,
     distract, divert, enchant, engross, enliven, entertain, exhilarate,
     fascinate, fleet, fracture one, interest, kill, knock dead,
     loosen up, occupy, please, quicken, raise a laugh, raise a smile,
     recreate, refresh, regale, relax, slay, solace, tickle, titillate,
     while, wile, wow
  
  

















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