To make someone laugh, smile, or feel entertained. It can also mean to keep someone interested so they do not feel bored.
From Old French *amuser*, originally “to stupefy, delude, divert,” from *a-* (“to”) and *muser* (“to stare, muse”). The meaning shifted from distraction and deception to pleasant entertainment.
To “amuse” once meant to daze or distract someone, not just make them laugh. Entertainment was seen as a kind of mental detour from serious life. Even today, amusement parks are places where you deliberately step out of ordinary thinking for a while.
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