amuse

/ə'mju:z/

Thân thiện

The clown's silly antics amuse the children at the birthday party.

Definition

1. Verb:
   • To cause someone to laugh or smile: To entertain someone in a way that provokes laughter or mirth.
   • To entertain or occupy someone agreeably: To keep someone pleasantly interested or diverted.

Usage

• The primary use of "amuse" is to describe the act of providing entertainment that causes pleasure, often laughter.
• It is a transitive verb, requiring a direct object (the person being amused).
• It often describes a temporary state of entertainment or diversion.

Examples

• Verb:
  • His funny stories never fail to amuse me.
  • The puppy's antics amused the whole family.
  • She amused herself by reading a book while waiting.

Advanced Usage

• "to be amused by/at something": To find something entertaining or funny.
  • I was highly amused by his clumsy attempt to dance.
• "to amuse oneself": To find a way to occupy one's own time pleasantly.
  • With no internet, the children had to amuse themselves with board games.

Variants and Related Words

• Amusing (adj): Causing laughter or providing entertainment; funny.
  • He told an amusing anecdote.
• Amusement (n): The state of experiencing entertainment or pleasure; also, an activity that provides this.
  • Her face was a picture of amusement.
  • The fairground is full of amusements.

Synonyms

• Entertain: To hold the attention of someone agreeably.
• Divert: To distract someone in an enjoyable way.
• Delight: To please someone greatly.

Phrasal Verbs

(This word does not commonly form phrasal verbs.)

Related Idioms

• "To keep someone amused": To continuously provide entertainment for someone.
  • It's a parent's job to keep the children amused on long journeys.

Học thuật

Verb

1. make (somebody) laugh
   • The clown amused the children
2. occupy in an agreeable, entertaining or pleasant fashion
   • The play amused the ladies

Từ đồng nghĩa

• divert
• disport