[1] : The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

entertain \en`tertain"\, v. t. imp.  p. p. entertained; p.
   pr.  vb. n. entertaining. f. entretenir; entre between
   l. inter + tenir to hold, l. tenere. see tenable.
   1. to be at the charges of; to take or keep in one's service;
      to maintain; to support; to harbor; to keep.
      1913 webster

            you, sir, i entertain for one of my hundred. --shak.
      1913 webster

   2. to give hospitable reception and maintenance to; to
      receive at one's board, or into one's house; to receive as
      a guest.
      1913 webster

            be not forgetful to entertain strangers; for thereby
            some have entertained unawares.       --heb. xiii.
                                                  2.
      1913 webster

   3. to engage the attention of agreeably; to amuse with that
      which makes the time pass pleasantly; to divert; as, to
      entertain friends with conversation, etc.
      1913 webster

            the weary time she can not entertain. --shak.
      1913 webster

   4. to give reception to; to receive, in general; to receive
      and take into consideration; to admit, treat, or make use
      of; as, to entertain a proposal.
      1913 webster

            i am not here going to entertain so large a theme as
            the philosophy of locke.              --de quincey.
      1913 webster

            a rumor gained ground, -- and, however absurd, was
            entertained by some very sensible people.
                                                  --hawthorne.
      1913 webster

   5. to meet or encounter, as an enemy. obs. --shak.
      1913 webster

   6. to keep, hold, or maintain in the mind with favor; to keep
      in the mind; to harbor; to cherish; as, to entertain
      sentiments.
      1913 webster

   7. to lead on; to bring along; to introduce. obs.
      1913 webster

            to baptize all nations, and entertain them into the
            services institutions of the holy jesus. --jer.
                                                  taylor.

   syn: to amuse; divert; maintain. see amuse.
        1913 webster
see also:
entertained entertaining tenable amuse 

[2] : The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

entertain \en`tertain"\, v. i.
   to receive, or provide entertainment for, guests; as, he
   entertains generously.
   1913 webster

[3] : The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

entertain \en`tertain"\, n. cf. f. entretien, fr. entretenir.
   entertainment. obs. --spenser.
   1913 webster

[4] : WordNet (r) 2.0

entertain
     v 1: provide entertainment for
     2: take into consideration, have in view; "he entertained the
        notion of moving to south america" syn: think of, toy
        with, flirt with, think about
     3: maintain a theory, thoughts, or feelings; "bear a grudge";
        "entertain interesting notions"; "harbor a resentment"
        syn: harbor, harbour, hold, nurse
see also:
think of toy with flirt with think about harbor harbour 
hold nurse 

[5] : Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0

100 moby thesaurus words for "entertain":
   accommodate, admit, allow, amuse, amusement, bear, beguile, bestow,
   billet, board, bosom, cater to, cherish, cling to, clip, consider,
   contemplate, convulse, cultivate, delight, disport, dissipation,
   distraction, diversion, divert, divertissement, do the honors,
   domicile, embosom, embrace, enjoyment, enliven, entertain guests,
   entertainment, exhilarate, feed, fondle, foster, fracture one,
   gaiety, give a party, gladden, gratify, guest, harbor, have,
   have and hold, hold, hold on to, host, house, hug, inquire into,
   invite, keep, kill, knock dead, lodge, loosen up, maintain,
   nourish, nurse, nurture, occupy, play, please, pleasure, preside,
   put up, quarter, raise a laugh, raise a smile, receive, recreate,
   recreation, refresh, regale, rejoice, relax, relaxation, relief,
   room, see about, slay, sleep upon, solace, sport, support, sustain,
   take under advisement, take under consideration, think it over,
   throw a party, tickle, titillate, tolerate, treasure, treasure up,
   treat, wow

[6] : Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary

entertain
   entertainments, "feasts," were sometimes connected with a public
   festival deut. 16:11, 14, and accompanied by offerings 1 sam.
   9:13, in token of alliances gen. 26:30; sometimes in
   connection with domestic or social events, as at the weaning of
   children gen. 21:8, at weddings gen. 29:22; john 2:1, on
   birth-days matt. 14:6, at the time of sheep-shearing 2 sam.
   13:23, and of vintage judg. 9:27, and at funerals 2 sam.
   3:35; jer. 16:7.
   
     the guests were invited by servants prov. 9:3; matt. 22:3,
   who assigned them their respective places 1 sam. 9:22; luke
   14:8; mark 12:39. like portions were sent by the master to each
   guest 1 sam. 1:4; 2 sam. 6:19, except when special honour was
   intended, when the portion was increased gen. 43:34.
   
     the israelites were forbidden to attend heathenish sacrificial
   entertainments ex. 34:15, because these were in honour of
   false gods, and because at such feast they would be liable to
   partake of unclean flesh 1 cor. 10:28.
   
     in the entertainments common in apostolic times among the
   gentiles were frequent "revellings," against which christians
   were warned rom. 13:13; gal. 5:21; 1 pet. 4:3. see banquet.
   
see also:
banquet 

Entertain >> E Words
Entertain, definition of term: Entertain
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