different between entertain vs encourage

English

Etymology

Borrowed from Old French entretenir, from entre (“among”) + tenir (“to hold”), from Latin inter + tene? (“hold, keep”). For the noun, compare French entretien.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /??nt??te?n/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /??nt??te?n/, [??????t?e?n]
• Hyphenation: en?ter?tain
• Rhymes: -e?n

Verb

entertain (third-person singular simple present entertains, present participle entertaining, simple past and past participle entertained)

1. (transitive) To amuse (someone); to engage the attention of agreeably.

2. (transitive and intransitive) To have someone over at one's home for a party or visit.

   • Be not forgetful to entertain strangers […]

3. (transitive) To receive and take into consideration; to have a thought in mind.
   • 1851, Thomas De Quincey, Literary Reminiscences

     I am not here going to entertain so large a theme as the philosophy of Locke.

   • A rumour gained ground, — and, however absurd, was entertained by some very sensible people.

4. (obsolete) To take or keep in one's service; to maintain; to support; to harbour; to keep.
5. (obsolete) To meet or encounter, as an enemy.
6. (obsolete) To lead on; to bring along; to introduce.
   • 1673, Jeremy Taylor, Heniaytos: A Course of Sermons for All the Sundays of the Year […]

     to baptize all nations, and to entertain them into the services and institutions of the holy Jesus

Derived terms

• entertainer
• entertaining
• entertainment

Related terms

Translations

Noun

entertain (uncountable)

1. (obsolete) Entertainment; pleasure.
2. (obsolete) Reception of a guest; welcome.
   • 1596, Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene, IV.8:

     But neede, that answers not to all requests, / Bad them not looke for better entertayne […].

Further reading

• entertain in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• entertain in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
• entertain at OneLook Dictionary Search

Anagrams

• Tarentine, Terentian, antienter

English

Alternative forms

• incourage (archaic)

Etymology

From Middle English encouragen, encoragen, from Anglo-Norman encoragier, from Old French encoragier from en- +? corage "courage". Displaced native Middle English belden, bielden (“to encourage”) (from Old English bieldan (“to encourage”)), Middle English bealden, balden (“to encourage”) (from Old English bealdian (“to encourage, make bold”)), Middle English herten (“to encourage, enhearten”) (from Old English hiertan, hyrtan (“to enhearten”)), Old English elnian (“to encourage, strengthen”).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?n?k???d?/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /?n?k???d?/
• Hyphenation: en?cour?age

Verb

encourage (third-person singular simple present encourages, present participle encouraging, simple past and past participle encouraged) (transitive)

1. To mentally support; to motivate, give courage, hope or spirit.

   I encouraged him during his race.

2. To spur on, strongly recommend.

   We encourage the use of bicycles in the town centre.

3. To foster, give help or patronage

   The royal family has always encouraged the arts in word and deed

Synonyms

• bield
• embolden

Antonyms

• becourage
• discourage

Derived terms

• encouragement
• encouraging
• encouragingly

Related terms

• courage

Translations

French

Verb

encourage

1. inflection of encourager:
   1. first/third-person singular present indicative/subjunctive
   2. singular imperative