Adjacent Words

Amuse definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

AMU'SE, v.t. s as z. [Gr. and L. musso.]
1. To entertain the mind agreeably; to occupy or detain attention with agreeable objects, whether by singing, conversation, or a show of curiosities. Dr.Johnson remarks, that amuse implies something less lively than divert, and less important than please. Hence it is often said, we are amused with trifles.
2. To detain; to engage the attention by hope or expectation; as, to amuse one by flattering promises.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

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

Merriam Webster's

verb (amused; amusing) Etymology: Middle French amuser, from Old French, from a- (from Latin ad-) + muser to muse Date: 15th century transitive verb 1. a. archaic to divert the attention of so as to deceive b. obsolete to occupy the attention of ; absorb c. obsolete distract, bewilder 2. a. to entertain or occupy in a light, playful, or pleasant manner <amuse the child with a story> b. to appeal to the sense of humor of <the joke doesn't amuse me> intransitive verb obsolete muse • amusedly adverb • amuser noun Synonyms: amuse, divert, entertain mean to pass or cause to pass the time pleasantly. amuse suggests that one's attention is engaged lightly or frivolously <amuse yourselves while I prepare dinner>. divert implies the distracting of the attention from worry or routine occupation especially by something funny <a light comedy to divert the tired businessman>. entertain suggests supplying amusement or diversion by specially prepared or contrived methods <a magician entertaining children at a party>.

Oxford Reference Dictionary

v. 1 tr. cause (a person) to laugh or smile. 2 tr. & refl. (often foll. by with, by) interest or occupy; keep (a person) entertained. Derivatives: amusing adj. amusingly adv. Etymology: ME f. OF amuser cause to muse (see MUSE(2)) f. causal a to + muser stare

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

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

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

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

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(amuses, amusing, amused) 1. If something amuses you, it makes you want to laugh or smile. The thought seemed to amuse him... Their antics never fail to amuse. VERB: V n, V 2. If you amuse yourself, you do something in order to pass the time and not become bored. I need distractions. I need to amuse myself so I won't keep thinking about things... Put a selection of baby toys in his cot to amuse him if he wakes early. = entertain VERB: V pron-refl, V n 3. see also amused, amusing

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

v. a. 1. Entertain, divert, please, charm, gladden, cheer, enliven, solace, beguile, relax, recreate. 2. Beguile, deceive (by inspiring false hopes), delude, cheat, inveigle, mislead, impose upon.

Moby Thesaurus

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