entertain
entertain — 動詞
1. to do something that makes an audience or group of people laugh, smile, or stay
娛樂
透過表演或活動使人愉快
to do something that makes an audience or group of people laugh, smile, or stay interested, especially through a planned performance, story, or activity
Pedro entertained the children at the party with magic tricks and colourful balloons.
Pedro 在派對上用魔術和彩色氣球娛樂小朋友。
entertain + with [activity/objects]
The street musician entertained passengers waiting for the bus at the station.
那位街頭藝人在車站表演，娛樂了等公車的乘客。
entertain + audience + at [location]
Eleni entertained her younger cousins by teaching them simple dance moves.
Eleni 教表弟妹跳簡單的舞步來娛樂他們。
Grandfather entertained everyone at dinner with funny stories about his school days.
祖父在晚餐時講學校裡的趣事來娛樂大家。
A documentary about penguins entertained viewers of all ages last weekend.
上週末一部關於企鵝的紀錄片讓各年齡層的觀眾都看得開心。
- bore
to make someone lose interest or feel tired
文法句型
entertain + object
entertain + object + with + noun
用法筆記
Frequently followed by 'with' to introduce the activity or performance that provides the amusement. The verb can be used both transitively ('the clown entertained the children') and intransitively ('he knows how to entertain').
常見錯誤
2. to welcome people into your home as guests and provide them with meals, drinks,
款待
在家設宴招待客人
to welcome people into your home as guests and provide them with meals, drinks, and friendly company
The Okonkwo family entertained us at their home with a traditional Nigerian dinner.
Okonkwo 一家人在家裡以傳統的奈及利亞晚餐款待我們。
entertain + at [place] + with [meal]
Talia loves to entertain friends on weekends with homemade pizza and board games.
Talia 喜歡在週末用自製披薩和桌遊款待朋友。
Quan entertained colleagues from the Taipei office at a restaurant near the hotel.
Quan 在飯店附近的餐廳款待從台北辦公室來的同事。
Anjali entertained her book club members with tea and freshly baked scones.
Anjali 用茶和新鮮出爐的司康餅款待讀書會的成員。
We rarely entertain at home because our kitchen is too small for dinner parties.
我們很少在家請客，因為廚房太小，辦不了晚宴。
- neglect
to fail to attend to a guest's needs
文法句型
entertain + object
entertain + object + at + place
entertain + object + with + food/drink
用法筆記
Commonly used in polite invitations or descriptions of social life. Often appears with frequency adverbs such as 'often,' 'seldom,' or 'rarely' in the intransitive form.
常見錯誤
3. to give consideration to a thought, plan, or suggestion — especially one that se
考慮；懷有
願意思考某項想法或可能
to give consideration to a thought, plan, or suggestion — especially one that seems unusual or novel — rather than dismissing it straight away
The committee refused to entertain the proposal to cut the school budget.
委員會拒絕考慮刪減學校預算的提案。
often in negative: refuse to entertain [proposal/idea]
Felix entertained the thought of studying veterinary medicine after volunteering at an animal shelter.
Felix 在動物收容所當志工後，曾考慮過攻讀獸醫學系。
The manager would not entertain the idea of hiring more staff this year.
經理不願考慮今年增聘人力的想法。
Layla had never entertained the possibility of leaving her hometown until she received the scholarship offer.
Layla 在拿到獎學金通知之前，從未考慮過離開家鄉的可能性。
The judge declined to entertain the lawyer's request for a further delay in the trial.
法官拒絕考慮律師提出的審判延期請求。
- consider
more neutral and everyday; does not carry the connotation of openness to something unexpected
- contemplate
implies deeper or more prolonged thought than entertain
- harbour
often suggests holding onto a feeling or suspicion privately, sometimes with negative connotations
- reject
to refuse to accept or consider something
文法句型
entertain + noun (idea/thought/suggestion/possibility/doubt)
用法筆記
Almost always takes a noun phrase as object (idea, thought, notion, suggestion, possibility, doubt, request). This sense does not occur in the intransitive form. Frequently used in negative or conditional structures, especially with 'refuse to,' 'would not,' or 'could not.'