AMUSE

a-muse

verb:

1.      Definition:

1. cause (someone) to find something funny.

3.To occupy in an agreeable, pleasing, or entertaining fashion.

4.To cause to laugh or smile by giving pleasure.

5. Archaic To delude or deceive.

6. to hold the attention of (someone) pleasantly; entertain or divert.

7. to cause mirth, laughter, or the like, in.

8. Archaic. to keep in expectation by flattery, pretenses, etc.

9. Obs. to engross; absorb.

Sample Sentences:

How can i keep the kids amused during the holidays?

It will delight youngsters and even amuse adults who haven't gone completely sour.

If you want to amuse me, though, you'll put a nickname in your signature.

Used as a sort of parlor game to amuse or as a metaphor

for the existence of different points of view, okay.

True or not, the on-screen follies mostly amuse and generally divert.

Tell me how you amuse yourself, and I will tell you who you are.

He amused us with a funny story.

Synonyms:

amuse, entertain, divert, regale

Etymology:

amuse (v.)

late 15c., "to divert the attention, beguile, delude," from Middle French amuser "divert, cause to

 muse," from a "at, to" (but here probably a causal prefix) + muser "ponder, stare fixedly"

 (see muse(v.)). Sense of "divert from serious business, tickle the fancy of" is

recorded from 1630s, but through 18c. the primary meaning was

 "deceive, cheat" by firstoccupying the attention. Bemuse

retains more of the original meaning.

 Related: Amused; amusing.