amuse
- amuse
\ \ [15] Amuse is probably a French creation, formed with the prefix a- from the verb muser (from which English gets muse ‘ponder’ [14]). The current meaning ‘divert, entertain’ did not begin to emerge until the 17th century, and even so the commonest application of the verb in the 17th and 18th centuries was ‘deceive, cheat’.
\ \ This seems to have developed from an earlier ‘bewilder, puzzle’, pointing back to an original sense ‘make someone stare open-mouthed’. This links with the probable source of muser, namely muse ‘animal’s mouth’, from medieval Latin mūsum (which gave English muzzle [15]). There is no connection with the inspirational muse, responsible for music and museums.
\ \ Cf.⇒ MUSE, MUZZLE
Word origins - 2ed.
J. Ayto.
2005.
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Look at other dictionaries:
amusé — amusé … Dictionnaire des rimes
amusé — ⇒AMUSÉ, ÉE, part. passé, adj. et subst. A. Part. passé de amuser. B. Emploi adj. 1. [Se rapportant à une pers.] a) Qui se trouve momentanément égayé par quelque situation ou circonstance plaisante ou comique : • 1. Un des plus cruels supplices de … Encyclopédie Universelle
Amuse — Cette page a été supprimée. Le journal des suppressions et des déplacements est affiché ci dessous pour référence. 2 octobre 2009 à 09:06 TigH (discuter | contributions) a supprimé « Amuse » (Décision PàS) Wikipédia ne possède pas d article… … Wikipédia en Français
Amuse 3 — Genre Jeunesse Pays France Langue … Wikipédia en Français
amusé — amusé, ée (a mu zé, zée) part. passé. Amusé par des promesses. Amusé à des bagatelles. Amusé par ce récit. • En lui [le prince], toute apparence de galanterie, tout air passionné ou amusé cause un scandale, FÉN. t. XXII, p. 272 … Dictionnaire de la Langue Française d'Émile Littré
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… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
amuse — amuse, divert, entertain, recreate mean to cause or enable one to pass one’s time in pleasant or agreeable occupations. Their corresponding nouns amusement, diversion, entertainment, recreation are also synonyms denoting such an occupation or its … New Dictionary of Synonyms
amuse — amuse; amuse·ment; … English syllables
amuse — [ə myo͞oz′] vt. amused, amusing [Fr amuser < à, at + OFr muser, to stare fixedly, MUSE] 1. to keep pleasantly or enjoyably occupied or interested; entertain [we amused ourselves with games] 2. to make laugh, smile, etc. by being comical or… … English World dictionary
Amuse — A*muse , v. i. To muse; to mediate. [Obs.] [1913 Webster] … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
amuse — index occupy (engage) Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 … Law dictionary
