entertained
/en.təˈteɪn/ (bre, ipa) · [ˌɛntɚtˈend] /en.t̬ɚˈteɪn/ (ame, ipa)
entertained — verb
- entertainedpresent simple I / you / we / they
- entertaineds3rd person singular
- entertaineding-ing form
- entertainededpast simple
1. kept an audience happy and amused, usually by performing for them, telling stori
kept an audience happy and amused, usually by performing for them, telling stories, playing music, or running activities they could enjoy together.
Hassan entertained the children with magic tricks at his nephew's birthday party.
entertained + people + with + activity
A jazz trio entertained the dinner guests throughout the evening at the small hotel.
subject is performers; object is audience
Anong entertained her grandparents by reading aloud from her favourite picture book.
The clown entertained a crowd of tired travellers at the airport gate for almost an hour.
Stefan entertained his classmates during the long bus ride with silly impressions of their teachers.
- bored
describes the audience's feeling when no one entertained them.
文法句型
entertained + people
entertained + with + activity
用法筆記
Subject is usually a person who performs or organises (host, musician, comedian); object is the audience being amused. Distinguish from sense 2, where the focus is hosting guests at home with food rather than performing.
常見錯誤
2. welcomed visitors into one's home and offered them food and drink, sometimes as
welcomed visitors into one's home and offered them food and drink, sometimes as part of a planned social or business occasion.
Maeve entertained her parents-in-law with a roast dinner on their first visit to Dublin.
entertained + guests + with + food
The Lin family entertained visitors from Taiwan every weekend during the summer holidays.
Salma entertained two colleagues at her apartment after the long conference in Cairo.
Christopher entertained rarely, preferring to meet his friends at small restaurants near the river.
Yael entertained the new neighbours with strong coffee and a tray of fresh dates.
文法句型
entertained + guests
entertained at home
用法筆記
Subject is the host; object (when present) is the visitor. The verb often appears intransitively when describing someone's general habits ('she rarely entertains'). Distinguish from sense 1, where amusement is delivered through a performance, not hospitality at home.
常見錯誤
3. was willing to think seriously about a thought, possibility, or proposal without
was willing to think seriously about a thought, possibility, or proposal without yet agreeing to it, often something doubtful or unwelcome.
Darius briefly entertained the idea of leaving his job and opening a small bookshop in Athens.
entertained + the idea of + verb-ing
Gabriela never entertained the possibility that her business partner might be lying to her.
entertained + the possibility that-clause
The committee entertained several proposals before voting to keep the old school building.
Hyun refused to entertain any doubts about her younger sister's recovery after the surgery.
Tara entertained the thought of moving back to the farm but later decided to stay in Sydney.
- considered
neutral; weighs options actively, while 'entertained' is more about being open to the thought.
- contemplated
stresses long, thoughtful reflection; more solitary than 'entertained'.
- weighed
implies comparing several options, not just being open to one.
文法句型
entertained + the idea/thought/possibility of
用法筆記
Object must be an abstract noun (idea, thought, possibility, hope, doubt, proposal); never a person or physical object. Often appears in negative or qualified contexts ('refused to entertain', 'briefly entertained', 'would not entertain'). Distinguish from sense 1 (amuse) and sense 2 (host), which take human objects.