Search the Dictionary

To express amusement, pleasure, moderate joy, or love and kindness, by the features of the face; to laugh silently. He doth nothing but frown . . . He hears merry tales and smiles not. Shak. She led to see the doughty hero slain. Pope. When last I saw thy young blue eyes, they smiled. Byron.

translation of F. vers de société], the lightest kind of lyrical poetry; verses for the amusement of polite society.

ntifically in attack or defense; to contend or combat with the fists, as for exercise or amusement; to box. Made believe to spar at Paul with great science. Dickens.

That which diverts, and makes mirth; pastime; amusement. It is as sport a fool do mischief. prov. x. 23. Her sports were such as carried riches of knowledge upon the stream of delight. Sir P. Sidney. Think it but a minute spent in sport. Shak.

. Quoth he, that honor's very squeamish That takes a basting for a blemish. Hudibras. His muse is rustic, and perhaps too plain The men of squeamish taste to entertain. Southern. So ye grow squeamish, Gods, and sniff at heaven. M. Arnold.

in tune the strings of, as a stringed instrument, in order to play upon it. For here the Muse so oft her harp has strung, That not a mountain rears its head unsung. Addison.

To fix the mind closely upon a subject; to dwell upon anything in thought; to muse; to ponder. Chaucer. I found a moral first, and then studied for a fable. Swift.

Suburban. [Obs.] "Suburbial fields." Warton. "Suburbian muse." Dryden.

the loop at the bottom; also, any contrivance by which a similar motion is produced for amusement or exercise.

to try little experiments; as, to tamper with a disease. 'T is dangerous tampering with a muse. Roscommon.

The Muse who presided over the choral song and the dance, especially the latter.

Means of trial; as, absence is a test of love. Each test every light her muse will bear. Dryden.

That one of the nine Muses who presided over comedy.

An edifice in which dramatic performances or spectacles are exhibited for the amusement of spectators; anciently uncovered, except the stage, but in modern times roofed.

To reflect upon any subject; to muse; to meditate; to ponder; to consider; to deliberate. And when he thought thereon, he wept. Mark xiv. 72. He thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits Luke xii. 17.

A thing for amusement, but of no real value; an article of trade of little value; a trifle. They exchange for knives, glasses, and such toys, great abundance of gold and pearl. Abr. Abbot.

A sly, dexterous, or ingenious procedure fitted to puzzle or amuse; as, a bear's tricks; a juggler's tricks.

gravity, weight, or dignity; to act or talk with levity; to indulge in light or trivial amusements. They trifle, and they beat the air about nothing which toucheth us. Hooker. To trifle with, to play the fool with; to treat without respect or seriousness; to mock; as, to trifle with one's feelings, or with sacred thin…

To relax in exertion, attention, severity, or the like; hence, to indulge in mirth or amusement.

Devoted to relaxation or amusement. [R.] It may entertain your lordships at an unbending hour. Rowe. -- Un*bend"ing*ly, adv. -- Un*bend"ing*ness, n.