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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 (gcide)

Amuse \A*muse"\, v. i.
To muse; to mediate. [Obs.]
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Amuse \A*muse"\ ([.a]*m[=u]z"), v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Amused}
([.a]*m[=u]zd"); p. pr. & vb. n. {Amusing}.] [F. amuser to
make stay, to detain, to amuse, [`a] (L. ad) OF. muser. See
{Muse}, v.]
1. To occupy or engage the attention of; to lose in deep
thought; to absorb; also, to distract; to bewilder. [Obs.]
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Camillus set upon the Gauls when they were amused in
receiving their gold. --Holland.
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Being amused with grief, fear, and fright, he could
not find the house. --Fuller.
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2. To entertain or occupy in a pleasant manner; to stir with
pleasing or mirthful emotions; to divert.
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A group of children amusing themselves with pushing
stones from the top [of the cliff], and watching as
they plunged into the lake. --Gilpin.
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3. To keep in expectation; to beguile; to delude.
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He amused his followers with idle promises.
--Johnson.
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Syn: To entertain; gratify; please; divert; beguile; deceive;
occupy.

Usage: To {Amuse}, {Divert}, {Entertain}. We are amused by
that which occupies us lightly and pleasantly. We are
entertained by that which brings our minds into
agreeable contact with others, as conversation, or a
book. We are diverted by that which turns off our
thoughts to something of livelier interest, especially
of a sportive nature, as a humorous story, or a
laughable incident.
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Whatever amuses serves to kill time, to lull the
faculties, and to banish reflection. Whatever
entertains usually awakens the understanding or
gratifies the fancy. Whatever diverts is lively
in its nature, and sometimes tumultuous in its
effects. --Crabb.
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