From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Entertainment \En'ter*tain"ment\, noun [Cf. OF. entretenement.]
1. The act of receiving as host, or of amusing, admitting, or cherishing; hospitable reception; also, reception or treatment, in general.
The entertainment of Christ by faith. --Baxter.
The sincere entertainment and practice of the precepts of the gospel. --Bp. Sprat.
2. That which entertains, or with which one is entertained; as: (a) Hospitality; hospitable provision for the wants of a guest; especially, provision for the table; a hospitable repast; a feast; a formal or elegant meal. (b) That which engages the attention agreeably, amuses or diverts, whether in private, as by conversation, etc., or in public, by performances of some kind; amusement.
Theatrical entertainments conducted with greater elegance and refinement. --Prescott.
3. Admission into service; service.
Some band of strangers in the adversary's entertainment. --Shak.
4. Payment of soldiers or servants; wages. [Obs.]
The entertainment of the general upon his first arrival was but six shillings and eight pence. --Sir J. Davies.
Syn: Amusement; diversion; recreation; pastime; sport; feast; banquet; repast; carousal.
From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:
noun
1: a diversion that holds the attention [syn: {amusement}]
From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:
115 Moby Thesaurus words for "entertainment": Kaffeeklatsch, amusement, animal pleasure, ball, benefit, bill, blowout, board, bodily pleasure, carnal delight, cocktail party, coffee klatch, comfort, content, contentment, costume party, coziness, creature comforts, debut, dinner, dinner party, distraction, diversion, divertisement, divertissement, donation party, ease, endpleasure, enjoyment, euphoria, exhibit, exhibition, extravaganza, farewell performance, feed, festivity, flesh show, forepleasure, fruition, fun, garden party, gratification, great satisfaction, gusto, hearty enjoyment, hen party, house party, house-raising, housewarming, intellectual pleasure, joie de vivre, keen pleasure, kicks, lawn party, luxury, mask, masque, masquerade, masquerade party, meal, meat, mess, mirth, pageant, party, passe-temps, pastime, performance, physical pleasure, play, pleasure, premiere, presentation, presentment, production, quiet pleasure, recreation, refection, refreshment, regalement, relaxation, relief, relish, repas, repast, satisfaction, self-gratification, self-indulgence, sensual pleasure, sensuous pleasure, sexual pleasure, shindig, shindy, show, shower, smoker, solace, spectacle, spectacular, sport, spread, stag, stag party, stage presentation, surprise party, swan song, sweetness of life, table, theatrical performance, titillation, treat, tryout, voluptuousness, well-being, zest
From THE DEVIL'S DICTIONARY ((C)1911 Released April 15 1993) [devils]:
ENTERTAINMENT, noun Any kind of amusement whose inroads stop short of death by injection.
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