amuse

verb

Etymology: Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₂éd Proto-Italic *ad Proto-Italic *ad- Latin ad- Old French a- Old French muser Old French amuserbor. Middle English *amusen English amuse From Late Middle English *amusen (“to mutter, be astonished, gaze meditatively on”), from Old French amuser (“to stupefy, waste time, be lost in thought”), from a- + muser (“to stare stupidly at, gape, wander, waste time, loiter, think carefully about, attend to”), of uncertain and obscure origin. Cognate with Occitan musa (“idle waiting”), Italian musare (“to gape idly about”). Possibly from Old French *mus (“snout”) from Vulgar Latin *mūsa (“snout”) — compare Medieval Latin mūsum (“muzzle, snout”) –, from Proto-Germanic *mū- (“muzzle, snout”), from Proto-Indo-European *mū- (“lips, muzzle”). Compare North Frisian müs, mös (“mouth”), German Maul (“muzzle, snout”). Alternative etymology connects muser and musa with Frankish *muoza (“careful attention, leisure, idleness”), from Proto-Germanic *mōtǭ (“leave, permission”), from Proto-Indo-European *med- (“to acquire, possess, control”). This would make it a cognate of Dutch musen (“to leisure”), Old High German *muoza (“careful attention, leisure, idleness”) and muozōn (“to be idle, have leisure or opportunity”), German Muße (“leisure”). More at empty.

1. To entertain or occupy (someone or something) in a pleasant manner; to stir (someone) with pleasing emotions.

   “I watch these movies because they amuse me.”

   “It always amuses me to hear the funny stories why people haven't got a ticket, but I never let them get in without paying.”

2. To cause laughter or amusement; to be funny.

   “His jokes rarely fail to amuse me.”

3. To keep in expectation; to beguile; to delude.
4. To occupy or engage the attention of; to lose in deep thought; to absorb; also, to distract; to bewilder.

   “Being amused with grief, fear, and fright, he could not find the house.”

   “the enemies were amused on the fires that our men made”