entertain Copy link Outline I. To receive as host1. expr. by hospĭtium, with accipio, excĭpio, invīto, etc.2. of the above verbs, invīto, accĭpio, excĭpio, are also used absol.II. To amuseIII. To cherish in the mind • entertain: I. To receive as host: 1. expr. by hospĭtium, with accipio, excĭpio, invīto, etc.: I shall e. you with country hospitality, te agresti hospitio accipiemus, Cic. Att. 2, 16,. fin.: to e. magnificently, magnificentissimo h. accipere, Cic. (hospitio excipere, strictly of one who takes in a person needing hospitality, cf. Liv. 29, 11: qui vir optimus Romae esset, hospitio deam [peregrinam] exciperet: cf. Tac. Ger. 21): the whole household will come out to meet (me); will hospitably e. me, tota familia occurret; hospitio invitabit, Cic. Phil. 12, 9, fin.: to e. ambassadors publicly, legatos in publicum hospitium adducere, Liv. 5, 28, med. 2. of the above verbs, invīto, accĭpio, excĭpio, are also used absol.: they take their friends into the camp to e. them, suos in castra invitandi causa adducunt, Caes. B. G. 1, 74, med.: to e. a person magnificently, aliquem magnifice accipere, Pl: v. to invite, treat. II. To amuse: oblecto, dēlecto, 1: v. to amuse, divert. III. To cherish in the mind: hăbeo, 2: to e. a wish, opinion, voluntatem, opinionem habere, Cic. (v. to hold): sometimes with in animo: to have upon the lips and to e. in the mind (a sentiment), in ore atque in animo h., Cic. Fam. 5, 16, ad init. Phr.: to be led to e. a hope, in spem venire, adduci (v. hope): I strongly e. the hope, magna me spes tenet, Cic.; magnus mihi animus est, Tac.: v. to cherish (fin.).