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Definition of amuse verb from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

amuse

verb
 
/əˈmjuːz/
 
/əˈmjuːz/
Verb Forms
present simple I / you / we / they amuse
 
/əˈmjuːz/
 
/əˈmjuːz/
he / she / it amuses
 
/əˈmjuːzɪz/
 
/əˈmjuːzɪz/
past simple amused
 
/əˈmjuːzd/
 
/əˈmjuːzd/
past participle amused
 
/əˈmjuːzd/
 
/əˈmjuːzd/
-ing form amusing
 
/əˈmjuːzɪŋ/
 
/əˈmjuːzɪŋ/
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  1. to make somebody laugh or smile
    • amuse somebody My funny drawings amused the kids.
    • This will amuse you.
    • it amuses somebody to do something It amused him to think that they were probably talking about him at that very moment.
    Extra Examples
    • Her story amused him greatly.
    • His impersonation of the President amused me (to) no end.
    • It never fails to amuse me how excited people can get about winning a game.
    • The thought of me on the stage seemed to amuse him.
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb
    • greatly
    • no end
    • to no end
    verb + amuse
    • seem to
    • try to
    • never cease to
    preposition
    • with
    See full entry
  2. to make time pass pleasantly for somebody/yourself synonym entertain
    • amuse somebody She suggested several ideas to help Laura amuse the twins.
    • amuse yourself I'm sure I'll be able to amuse myself for a few hours.
    • The visitors amused themselves with sightseeing, painting and picnics.
  3. Word Originlate 15th cent. (in the sense ‘delude, deceive’): from Old French amuser ‘entertain, deceive’, from a- (expressing causal effect) + muser ‘stare stupidly’. Current senses date from the mid 17th cent.
See amuse in the Oxford Advanced American Dictionary
hide-and-seek
noun
 
 
From the Topic
Games and toys
C2
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