different between harbour vs entertain

English

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /?h??b?/
• (Canada) IPA^(key): /?h??b??/
• Rhymes: -??(?)b?(?)

Noun

harbour (plural harbours)

1. Commonwealth of Nations standard spelling of harbor.

Derived terms

• Rosslare Harbour

Translations

Verb

harbour (third-person singular simple present harbours, present participle harbouring, simple past and past participle harboured)

1. Commonwealth of Nations standard spelling of harbor.

   The docks, which once harboured tall ships, now harbour only petty thieves.

   • The bare suspicion made it treason to harbour the person suspected.

   • 1707, Nicholas Rowe, The Royal Convert

     Nor let your gentle Breast harbor one Thought Of Outrage from the Kin.

References

• “harbour”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–present.

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