- entretener
- v.1 to distract.2 to hold up, to keep.3 to entertain.Mark entretiene a María Mark entertains Mary.4 to keep alive, to sustain.5 to be amused by, to enjoy.Me entretuvo el payaso I was amused by the clown.6 to have fun, to enjoy.Nos entretiene jugar cartas We have fun playing cards.7 to delay, to detain, to hold up, to hold off.La tormenta entretuvo el vuelo The storm delayed the flight.* * *entretener► verbo transitivo1 (detener) to hold up, detain; (retrasar) to delay■ no quiero entreteneros más I don't want to hold you up any longer2 (ocupar) to keep busy■ ese asunto me ha entretenido todo el día that business has kept me busy all day3 (distraer) to occupy, keep occupied4 (divertir) to entertain, amuse, distract5 (hambre) to kill, stave off; (tiempo) to while away► verbo pronominal entretenerse1 (retrasarse) to be delayed, be held up2 (distraerse) to keep oneself occupied3 (divertirse) to amuse oneself\FRASEOLOGÍAsólo para entretenerse just for fun* * *verb1) to entertain, amuse2) distract•* * *1. VT1) (=divertir) to entertain, amuse
nos entretuvo con sus chistes mientras esperábamos — he kept us entertained o amused with his jokes while we were waiting
hacer punto la entretiene — she amuses herself by knitting
2) (=retener) to keep, detain más frmpues no le entretengo más — then I won't keep o más frm detain you any longer
una vecina me entretuvo hablando en las escaleras — a neighbour kept me talking on the stairs
3) (=distraer)entretener a algn — to distract sb's attention
uno de los ladrones entretuvo a la dependienta — one of the thieves distracted the shop assistant's attention
entretener algo: entretuvieron la espera leyendo — they whiled away the time by reading
me tomé una tapa para entretener el hambre — I had a snack to take the edge off my hunger
4) (=dar largas a)me está entreteniendo con mentiras para no pagarme — he's putting me off with lies so as not to pay me
5) (=mantener) [+ ilusiones] to nourish; [+ fuego] to maintain2.VIla tele entretiene mucho — TV is very entertaining
3.See:* * *1.verbo transitivo1) (divertir) to entertainpintar me entretiene — I enjoy painting
es una tontería pero a mí me entretiene — it's silly but it keeps me amused o entertained
2) (distraer, apartar de una tarea) to distract; (hablando) to stall (colloq)3) (retener) to keep, detainno te entretengo más — I won't keep o detain you any longer
un amigo me entretuvo — a friend kept me talking
4) <soledad/ocio> to while away5) <esperanza> to entertain2.entretenerse v pron1)a) (divertirse) to amuse oneselfse entretiene con cualquier cosa — adulto she's easily amused; niño she's happy playing with anything
b) (pasar el tiempo) to keep (oneself) busy o occupied2) (demorarse) to hang around, to dally about* * *= entertain.Ex. Libraries are changing into activity centres, where one can keep warm, or leave one's child to be entertained, but where the shelves are half-empty.* * *1.verbo transitivo1) (divertir) to entertainpintar me entretiene — I enjoy painting
es una tontería pero a mí me entretiene — it's silly but it keeps me amused o entertained
2) (distraer, apartar de una tarea) to distract; (hablando) to stall (colloq)3) (retener) to keep, detainno te entretengo más — I won't keep o detain you any longer
un amigo me entretuvo — a friend kept me talking
4) <soledad/ocio> to while away5) <esperanza> to entertain2.entretenerse v pron1)a) (divertirse) to amuse oneselfse entretiene con cualquier cosa — adulto she's easily amused; niño she's happy playing with anything
b) (pasar el tiempo) to keep (oneself) busy o occupied2) (demorarse) to hang around, to dally about* * *= entertain.Ex: Libraries are changing into activity centres, where one can keep warm, or leave one's child to be entertained, but where the shelves are half-empty.
* * *entretener [E27 ]vtA (divertir) to entertainentretiene a los niños contándoles cuentos she entertains the children o keeps the children happy o amused by telling them storiespintar me entretiene I enjoy paintinges una tontería pero a mí me entretiene it's silly but it keeps me amused o entertainedla película entretuvo a chicos y grandes the movie was enjoyed by both young and oldB (distraer, apartar de una tarea) to distractC (retener) to keep, detainno te entretengo más I won't keep o detain you any longerme encontré con un amigo y me entretuvo I met a friend and he kept me talkingD ‹soledad/ocio› to while awaypara entretener la espera se compró una revista she bought a magazine to while away the time she had to waitE ‹esperanza› to entertain■ entretenersev pronA1 (divertirse) to amuse oneselfme entretengo mucho con su conversación I find her conversation very entertainingse entretiene con cualquier cosa she's easily amusedse entretuvo sacando fotos he amused himself o kept himself amused o kept himself entertained taking pictures2 (distraerse, pasar el tiempo) to keep (oneself) busy o occupiedB(demorarse): lleva esto a casa de la abuela y no te entretengas por el camino take this round to granny's house and make sure you go straight there o (colloq) and don't hang about on the wayse entretuvo y perdió el tren he hung around o he dallied about and he missed the train* * *
entretener (conjugate entretener) verbo transitivo
1 [crucigrama/libro] to keep … amused;
[obra/payaso] to entertain;◊ pintar me entretiene I enjoy painting
2a) (distraer, apartar de una tarea) to distractb) (retener) to keep, detain;◊ no te entretengo más I won't keep o detain you any longer
entretenerse verbo pronominal
1a) (divertirse) to amuse oneself;◊ se entretiene con cualquier cosa [adulto] she's easily amused;
[niño] she's happy playing with anythingb) (pasar el tiempo) to keep (oneself) busy o occupied
2 (demorarse) to hang around, dally about
entretener verbo transitivo
1 (divertir) to entertain, amuse
2 (retrasar) to hold up
'entretener' also found in these entries:
Spanish:
distraer
English:
amuse
- delay
- divert
- entertain
- hold back
- keep
- stall
- distract
* * *entretener♦ vt1. [despistar] to distract;no me entretengas don't distract me2. [retrasar] to hold up, to keep;no te entretengo más I won't keep you any longer3. [divertir] to entertain;el libro lo entretuvo toda la mañana the book kept him amused all morning;escuchar la radio es lo que más me entretiene listening to the radio is what I most enjoy doing4. [hacer llevadero] to while away;entretuvo la espera leyendo una revista while waiting she whiled away the time reading a magazine5. [mantener] to keep alive, to sustain♦ See also the pronominal verb entretenerse* * *entretenerI v/t1 (divertir) entertain, amuse2 (retrasar) keep, detain3 (distraer) distractII v/i be entertaining* * *entretener {80} vt1) divertir: to entertain, to amuse2) distraer: to distract3) demorar: to delay, to hold up♦ See also the reflexive verb entretenerse* * *entretener vb1. (divertir) to entertain / to keep amused [pt. & pp. kept]los dibujos animados entretienen mucho a los niños cartoons keep children very amusedme entretiene hacer crucigramas I enjoy doing crosswords2. (enredar) to keepla vecina me entretuvo media hora the neighbour kept me talking for half an hour
Spanish-English dictionary. 2013.