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amuse

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The definition of amuse means to appeal to someone's sense of humor.

(verb)

To tell funny stories to entertain people is an example of amuse.

Amuse means keeping yourself or someone else occupied in a pleasant manner, usually by doing or letting someone do something enjoyable.

(verb)

To have children play video games in order to occupy them is an example of amuse.

See amuse in Webster's New World College Dictionary

transitive verb amused, amusing

to keep pleasantly or enjoyably occupied or interested; entertain: we amused ourselves with games
to make laugh, smile, etc. by being comical or humorous
Obsolete to engage the attention of so as to deceive; delude; bemuse

Origin: Fr amuser < à, at + OFr muser, to stare fixedly, muse

Related Forms:

amusable adjective
amuser noun
amusedly adverb

See amuse in American Heritage Dictionary 4

transitive verb a·mused, a·mus·ing, a·mus·es

To occupy in an agreeable, pleasing, or entertaining fashion.
To cause to laugh or smile by giving pleasure: I was not amused by his jokes.
Archaic To delude or deceive.

Origin:

Origin: Middle English

Origin: , from Old French amuser, to stupefy

Origin: : a-, to (from Latin ad-; see ad-)

Origin: + muser, to stare stupidly; see muse

Related Forms:

a·musˈa·ble adjective

a·musˈer noun

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