Forms: 5–7 enterteyn(e, 5 entreteyne, (entertien, entretene, -iene), 6–7 entertaine, -ein(e, 6 -ayne, (-ene, 7 -ean, -eign), 6–8 intertain(e, 6–7 -ayn(e, -ein, -eyn(e, (6 interteny, intertynie), 6– entertain. [late ME. entertene, ad. F. entretenir = Pr. entretenir, Sp. entretener, It. intrattenere:—late L. intertenēre, f. L. inter among + tenēre to hold.]
† I. 1. trans. To hold mutually; to hold intertwined. Also absol. with reciprocal sense. Obs.
1481. Caxton, Myrr., II. x. 88. They [bananas] entretiene and cleue to gydre wel an hondred in a clustre.
1578. Banister, Hist. Man, VIII. 111. An other lesser [nerve] trunke is intertained among the fore partes of the legge.
II. To maintain, keep up.
† 2. trans. To keep (a person, country, etc.) in a certain state or condition; to keep (a person) in a certain frame of mind. Obs.
1490. Caxton, Eneydos, xiii. 49. His swete wordes and drawynge atysen and enterteyne her in a contynualle thoughte towarde hym.
1538. Starkey, England, II. ii. 191. Hys owne clyent … was interteynyd in long sute.
1581. Savile, Tacitus’ Agricola (1612), 191. By a kind of courteous and mild regiment intertained the countrey in quiet.
1664. Marvell, Corr., Wks. 1872–5, II. 170. The Fidelity and prudence of their Ministers seems rather to entertain them in mutual cautele and suspicion.
a. 1714. Burnet, Own Time (1823), I. 425. Cromwell was certainly fond of her, and she took care to entertain him in it.
3. To keep up, maintain (a state of things, a process); to retain in use (a custom, law, etc.); to maintain, persist in (a course of action, ‘attitude,’ state of feeling). Obs. in gen. sense; retained (but somewhat arch.) in a few special uses, as to entertain a correspondence, discourse.
1490. Caxton, Eneydos, vii. 31. To enterteyn hir pudyque chastyte in perpetuall wydowhed.
1587. Fleming, Contn. Holinshed, III. 1375/1. I intertained intelligence with the Scottish queane.
1593. Drayton, Idea, Introd. Sonn. My Muse … cannot long one Fashion intertaine.
c. 1630. Drumm. of Hawth., Irene, Wks. 164 b. So careful hath he been to intertain peace amongst his subjects.
a. 1639. Spottiswood, Hist. Ch. Scot., V. (1677), 253. Morton … entertained a long fight with them.
1672. Cave, Prim. Chr., I. ii. (1673), 21. To entertain the discipline of our Forefathers.
1794. J. Hutton, Philos. Light, &c. 182. This heat, in the burning body, is entertained by the extrication of light.
1825. Southey, Paraguay, III. 18. The Empress Queen … did not disdain … to entertain Discourse with him.
1855. Milman, Lat. Chr. (1864), II. III. vii. 137. Entertaining a friendly correspondence with the orthodox Queen Theodelinda.
1860. Motley, Netherl. (1868), I. iv. 111. Philip … might direct all his energies towards entertaining civil war in France.
† 4. To maintain (something) in existence; to keep in repair or efficiency. Obs.
1475. Caxton, Jason, 72 b. And for to entretiene his astate were ordeyned certayn nombre of peple.
1586. Bright, Melanch., ii. 5. These varieties of humours are entertained by nourishments.
1670–98. Lassels, Voy. Italy, I. 42. It’s [a bridge] entertained at the cost of the King of Spain.
† 5. To keep, retain (a person) in one’s service; to be at the charges of (a person) in return for services rendered by him. Obs.
1559. Mirr. Mag., Dk. Gloucester, vii. With princely wagies dyd me enterteyne.
a. 1591. H. Smith, Wks. (1866–7), I. p. xiv.–xv. I was … entertained with a stipend raised by voluntary contribution.
1625. in Vicary’s Anat. (1888), App. iii. 167. Two … Phisitions to bee interteyned and ymployed by this Cittie.
1636. trans. Florus’ Hist., 130. They were entertained in pay by King Perses.
1650. Fuller, Pisgah, III. ii. 361. Notwithstanding so many labourers entertained in the work, seven years was this Temple in building.
1762–71. H. Walpole, Vertue’s Anecd. Paint. (1786), I. 195. No wonder when so many Italians were entertained in the king’s service.
b. To take (a person) into one’s service; to hire (a servant, etc.); to retain as an advocate.
1579. Fenton, Guicciard. (1618), 147. They entertained into their pay Charles Vrsin and Bartlemew Aluiano with two hundred men at armes.
1591. Shaks., Two Gent., II. iv. 110. Sweet Lady, entertaine him for your Seruant.
1613. Purchas, Pilgr., I. V. iii. 392. Gaue order … to entertaine halfe of them for the warres.
1676. Marvell, Corr., Wks. 1872–5, III. 498. I have enterteind Mr. Hall likewise, an able Exchequer atturny.
1721. Perry, Daggenh. Breach, 71. I … directly entertain’d all the Hands I could get.
† 6. To maintain; to support; to provide sustenance for (a person). Obs.
1640. Bk. War Committee Covenanters, 67. Sex musqueteires and ane sergand to be enterteanit upon the publict.
1655–60. Stanley, Hist. Philos. (1701), 99/1. Hermogenes, who falling into Poverty, Socrates perswaded Diodorus his Friend to entertain.
a. 1657. Balfour, Ann. Scotl. (1821–5), II. 145. That also they take order for intertaining the poore in ilk parochin.
1703. Dk. Queensberry, in Ellis, Orig. Lett., II. 396, IV. 240. I thought it necessary to entertain him with some money.
1771. Antiq. Sarisb., Lives Bps., 169. Ten widows of Clergymen are here entertained, with a very comfortable provision.
III. To maintain relations with.
† 7. To deal with, have communication with (a person). Obs.
1568. Grafton, Chron., II. 720. He is a deepe dissimuler … entertayning all men for his owne profite.
1655–60. Stanley, Hist. Philos. (1701), 141/2. A Friend is not be entertained out of useful or necessary Ends, nor when such fail, is to be cast off.
† 8. To treat in a (specified) manner. Obs.
c. 1489. Caxton, Sonnes of Aymon, xxvi. 549. He entreteyneth vs above all other honourabli for the love of you.
1591. Shaks., 1 Hen. VI., II. iii. 72. I am sorry, that with reuerence I did not entertaine thee as thou art.
1608–11. Bp. Hall, Medit. (1851), 76. And entertained with all variety of persecution.
1630. M. Godwyn, trans. Bp. Hereford’s Ann. Eng., 28. He was very disgracefully entertained by Sir Amias Powlet, who clapt him in the stocks.
1662. Gunning, Lent-Fast, 44. Art thou rich? do not contumeliously entertain the [Lent] fast.
IV. To hold engaged, provide occupation for.
9. To engage, keep occupied the attention, thoughts or time of (a person): also with attention, etc., as obj. Hence, to discourse to (a person) of something. Obs. exc. arch.
1598. Shaks., Merry W., II. i. 68. I thinke the best way were, to entertaine him with hope.
1605. Daniel, Philotas, in Farr, S. P. Jas. I. (1848), 274. With what strange formes and shadowes ominous Did my last sleepe my griev’d soul intertaine!
1614. Raleigh, Hist. World, IV. i. § 4. The Phocians hoped so to entertain the Thessalians at home, as [etc.].
1665. Boyle, Occas. Refl. (1669), 64. If there were any Spectacle here below noble enough, and worthy to entertain the Eyes of God, it was that of a Good Man, generously contending with ill Fortune.
1684. Contempl. State Man, II. viii. (1699), 218. Entertaining thy self in Pleasures, thou hast for Toys and Fooleries lost Heaven!
1686. W. de Britaine, Hum. Prud., § 2. 5. Nor is the World any longer to be entertained with Dark Lanthorns.
1692. Bp. Ely, Answ. Touchstone, A v. I hope I shall neither tire the Reader, nor entertain him unprofitably.
1748. Chesterf., Lett., II. clxxiii. 142. I have so often entertained you upon these important subjects.
a. 1850. Rossetti, Dante & Circle, I. (1874), 186. Of thee she entertains the blessed throngs.
† b. To occupy, fill up, wile away (time). Obs.
1589. Puttenham, Eng. Poesie, III. xxv. (Arb.), 306. To entertaine time and ease at home.
1593. Shaks., Lucr., 1361. The wearie time shee cannot entertaine.
1667. Milton, P. L., II. 526. Where he may likeliest find Truce to his restless thoughts, and entertain The irksome hours, till his great Chief return.
1673. Ray, Journ. Low C., 287. We entertained our time pleasantly enough in searching out and describing of plants.
† c. To give occupation to (an enemy’s forces); to engage. Obs.
1590. Sir J. Smythe, Disc. Weapons, 12. They presentlie sending certen troupes … to skirmish and entertaine the Mosquettiers.
1599. Shaks., Hen. V., I. ii. 111. O Noble English, that could entertaine With halfe their Forces, the full pride of France.
1647. Sprigge, Anglia Rediv., II. i. (1854), 70. They [colonel Butler’s regiment] entertained sir Charles Lucas.
1654. R. Codrington, trans. Ivstine’s History, 192. Porus … had prepared an Army to entertain him [Alexander].
10. To engage agreeably the attention of (a person); to amuse. In recent use often also ironical: = ‘to try to entertain’ (with something stupid or uninteresting). Also refl. and absol.
1626. Bacon, Sylva, § 953. All this to entertain the Imagination that it waver less.
1655–60. Stanley, Hist. Philos. (1701), 92/2. We entertained our selves with discourse till the Prison was opened.
1662. Stillingfl., Orig. Sacr., I. iv. § 10. 69. Such relations which though not true, might yet please and entertain his readers.
1716–8. Lady M. W. Montague, Lett., I. xxvii. 89. I am very much entertained with him.
1738. Common Sense (1739), II. 127. Thus was poor Lucinda entertain’d out of her Innocence, and diverted into Infamy and Contempt.
1775. Johnson, Lett. Mrs. Thrale, 11 June. You never told me … how you were entertained by Boswell’s Journal.
1806–7. J. Beresford, Miseries Hum. Life (1826), V. xv. A lady whom you consider it as your duty to entertain.
1823. Lamb, Elia, Ser. II. xxiii. (1865), 399. My favourite occupations … now cease to entertain.
1863. Fr. A. Kemble, Resid. in Georgia, 55. He entertained me with an account of the Darien society.
V. To find room for; to give reception to.
† 11. To admit and contain; to ‘accommodate.’
1622–62. Heylin, Cosmogr., I. (1682), 277. The most safe and capacious Haven … capable of entertaining the greatest Navy.
1664. Evelyn, Kal. Hort. (1729), 200. Hot-beds to entertain … exoctick Plants.
1703. Moxon, Mech. Exerc., 42. Cut out so much Iron in the Fore and Backsides, as would entertain the main Spindle.
1721. Perry, Daggenh. Breach, Title-p., Rendering the Ports of Dover and Dublin Commodious for Entertaining large Ships.
† 12. To give reception to; to receive (a person). Also fig. Sometimes const. into. Obs.
1568. Grafton, Chron., II. 659. Diuers other … came humbly & submitted themselues, whome he gently enterteined & louingly receyued.
1590. Shaks., Com. Err., III. i. 120. Since mine owne doores refuse to entertaine me.
1624. Heywood, Gunaik., I. 37. Ino.… With her sonne Melicerta, were entertained into the number of the Sea-gods.
1650. Baxter, Saints’ R., I. v. (1654), 51. If the King of Israel riding on an Ass, be entertained into Jerusalem with Hosanna’s.
1667. Milton, P. L., IV. 382. Hell shall unfould, To entertain you two, her widest Gates.
13. To receive as a guest; to show hospitality to. Also absol.
1490. Caxton, Eneydos, xx. 74. I haue them not onely receyued but entreteyned, furnyshed and susteyned [etc.].
1513–75. Diurn. Occurr. (1833), 102. Direct it be our souerane lady to intertynie the said ambassatour vntill hir cummyng.
1542. Udall, Erasm. Apoph., 3. In receiuyng and intreteinyng of geastes and straungers.
1641. J. Jackson, True Evang. T., II. 93. Thou never gavest me a Kid, to entertaine my friends.
1676. Hale, Contempl., II. 131. This World is little other than our Inn to entertain us in our Journey to another Life.
1781. Gibbon, Decl. & F., III. 16. Gregory was entertained in the house of a pious and charitable kinsman.
1859. Jephson, Brittany, xvi. 267. The Emperor was entertained at dinner.
1880. Mrs. E. Edwards, Pezazi, in Macm. Mag., No. 253. 74. We were in such confusion … that we could not entertain.
† 14. To give reception (to something); to allow (something) to enter; to accept (pay, etc.); to receive (news, events, etc.) in a certain manner.
1586. A. Day, Eng. Secretary, I. (1625), 119. And being also informed with what great extreamitie you haue entertained the newes of his losse.
1590. Spenser, F. Q., II. ix. 6. But were your will her sold to entertaine.
1595. Markham, Sir R. Grinvile (Arb.), 77. Abr’ams faire bosome lyes to entertaine it [thy soule].
1614. Raleigh, Hist. World, IV. iii. § 15. The Athenians with immoderate joy entertained this happy seeming proclamation.
1620. Quarles, Pentelogia, in Farr, S. P. Jas. I. (1848), 138. Did thy cheekes entertaine a traytor’s lips?
1696. Stanhope, Chr. Pattern (1711), 74. We are to … entertain the most calamitous accidents without murmuring or discontent.
c. 1710. C. Mather, in Blaikie, Ministr. Word (1883), 295. To have the truths well entertained with the auditory.
b. To admit to consideration (an opinion, argument, request, proposal, etc.); to receive (an idea) into the mind.
1614. Bp. Hall, Recoll. Treat., 45. But I will suspect a novell opinion, of untrueth; and not entertaine it, unlesse [etc.].
1665. Boyle, Occas. Refl., II. xi. (1669), 142. That Patient very ill advis’d, who thinks it not time to entertain thoughts of death, as long as his Doctor allows him any hopes of Life.
1709. Steele, Tatler, No. 128, ¶ 7. I … have … entertained the Addresses of a Man who I thought lov’d me more than Life.
1875. Jowett, Plato (ed. 2), I. 409. How shall they bury him? That is a question which he refuses to entertain.
1885. Act 48 Vict., c. 17 § 8. The case shall be stated and the appeal entertained and heard.
c. To keep, hold or maintain in the mind with favor; to harbor; to cherish; in weaker sense, to experience (a sentiment).
1576. Fleming, Panoplie Ep., 4. Nothing (blame and offence excepted) Can chaunce in the life of any man wherein horror is harboured, or feare intertained.
1647. Cowley, Mistr., Despair, ii. When thoughts of Love I entertain.
1711. Addison, Spect., No. 123, ¶ 5. Leonilla … entertained … a secret Passion for Florio.
1730. Berkeley, Lett., 7 May. I entertained some thoughts of applying to his Majesty.
1770. Langhorne, Plutarch (1879), I. 144/1. The King entertained a deep resentment against him.
1827. Scott, Highl. Widow, v. [She] perhaps for the moment actually entertained the purpose which she expressed.
1876. J. H. Newman, Hist. Sk., I. I. iv. 200. To learn from others, you must entertain a respect for them.
† 15. To encounter, meet with. Obs. rare.
1591. Spenser, Virgil’s Gnat, 563. Th’ Argolicke Power returning home againe … Did happie winde and weather entertaine.
1634. Sir T. Herbert, Trav., 29. That he chose rather to be his owne Executioner, then to entertaine the cruell aspect of his Master.
† 16. To take upon oneself (an obligation, a relation); to engage in, enter upon (a task). Obs.
1579–80. North, Plutarch (1676), 75. Knowing themselves unmeet to entertain Wedlock.
1603. Knolles, Hist. Turkes (1610), 277. That the king should … entertain that honorable war.
1624. Capt. Smith, Virginia, VI. 221. I was imploied by many my friends of London to entertaine this plantation.
1667–8. Marvell, Corr., Wks. 1872–5, II. 232. We onely made one order, that the House would entertein no new businesse till it be calld over.
1719. W. Wood, Surv. Trade, 10. Trade was first entertain’d … by little States.
