Amusing

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.
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              Being amused with grief, fear, and fright, he could
              not find the house.                   --Fuller.
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     2. To entertain or occupy in a pleasant manner; to stir with
        pleasing or mirthful emotions; to divert.
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              A group of children amusing themselves with pushing
              stones from the top [of the cliff], and watching as
              they plunged into the lake.           --Gilpin.
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     3. To keep in expectation; to beguile; to delude.
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              He amused his followers with idle promises.
                                                    --Johnson.
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     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]:

  Amusing \A*mus"ing\, a.
     Giving amusement; diverting; as, an amusing story. --
     {A*mus"ing*ly}, adv.
     [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  amusing
       adj 1: providing enjoyment; pleasantly entertaining; "an amusing
              speaker"; "a diverting story"; "a fun thing to do"
              [syn: {amusive}, {diverting}, {fun(a)}]
       2: arousing or provoking laughter; "an amusing film with a
          steady stream of pranks and pratfalls"; "an amusing
          fellow"; "a comic hat"; "a comical look of surprise";
          "funny stories that made everybody laugh"; "a very funny
          writer"; "it would have been laughable if it hadn't hurt
          so much"; "a mirthful experience"; "risible courtroom
          antics" [syn: {comic}, {comical}, {funny}, {laughable}, {mirthful},
           {risible}]

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

  27 Moby Thesaurus words for "amusing":
     absurd, beguiling, bizarre, delightful, diverting, droll,
     eccentric, entertaining, fun, funny, hilarious, humorous,
     incongruous, laughable, ludicrous, priceless, quaint, quizzical,
     recreational, rich, ridiculous, risible, screaming, titillating,
     titillative, whimsical, witty