An activity that is diverting and that holds the attention.

synonym: amusement.

Roget 298: eating etc. v.; deglutition, gulp, epulation^†, mastication, manducation^†, rumination; gluttony etc. 957.    [eating specific foods] hippophagy^†, ichthyophagy^†.    [Eating anatomy:] (appetite) etc. 865; mouth, jaws, mandible, mazard^†, gob [Slang], chops.    drinking etc. v.; potation, draught, libation; carousal etc. (amusement) 840; drunkenness etc. 959.    food, pabulum; aliment, nourishment, nutriment; sustenance, sustentation, sustention; nurture, subsistence, provender, corn, feed, fodder, provision, ration, keep, commons, board; commissariat etc. (provision) 637; prey, forage, pasture, pasturage; fare, cheer; diet, dietary; regimen; belly timber, staff of life; bread, bread and cheese.    comestibles, eatables, victuals, edibles, ingesta; grub, grubstake, prog^†, meat; bread, bread stuffs; cerealia^†; cereals; viands, cates^†, delicacy, dainty, creature comforts, contents of the larder, fleshpots; festal board; ambrosia; good cheer, good living.    beef, bisquit^†, bun; cornstarch [U.S.]; cookie, cooky [U.S.]; cracker, doughnut; fatling^†; hardtack, hoecake [U.S.], hominy [U.S.]; mutton, pilot bread; pork; roti^†, rusk, ship biscuit; veal; joint, piece de resistance [Fr.], roast and boiled; remove, entremet^†, releve [Fr.], hash, rechauffe [Fr.], stew, ragout, fricassee, mince; pottage, potage^†, broth, soup, consomme, puree, spoonmeat^†; pie, pasty, volauvent^†; pudding, omelet; pastry; sweets etc. 296; kickshaws^†; condiment etc. 393.    appetizer, hors d'oeuvre [Fr.].    main course, entree.    alligator pear, apple &c., apple slump; artichoke; ashcake^†, griddlecake, pancake, flapjack; atole^†, avocado, banana, beche de mer [Fr.], barbecue, beefsteak; beet root; blackberry, blancmange, bloater, bouilli^†, bouillon, breadfruit, chop suey [U.S.]; chowder, chupatty^†, clam, compote, damper, fish, frumenty^†, grapes, hasty pudding, ice cream, lettuce, mango, mangosteen, mince pie, oatmeal, oyster, pineapple, porridge, porterhouse steak, salmis^†, sauerkraut, sea slug, sturgeon ("Albany beef"), succotash [U.S.], supawn [U.S.], trepang^†, vanilla, waffle, walnut.    table, cuisine, bill of fare, menu, table d'hote [Fr.], ordinary, entree.    meal, repast, feed, spread; mess; dish, plate, course; regale; regalement^†, refreshment, entertainment; refection, collation, picnic, feast, banquet, junket; breakfast; lunch, luncheon; dejeuner [Fr.], bever^†, tiffin^†, dinner, supper, snack, junk food, fast food, whet, bait, dessert; potluck, table d'hote [Fr.], dejeuner a la fourchette [Fr.]; hearty meal, square meal, substantial meal, full meal; blowout [Slang]; light refreshment; bara^†, chotahazri^†; bara khana^†.    mouthful, bolus, gobbet^†, morsel, sop, sippet^†.    drink, beverage, liquor, broth, soup; potion, dram, draught, drench, swill [Slang]; nip, sip, sup, gulp.    wine, spirits, liqueur, beer, ale, malt liquor, Sir John Barleycorn, stingo^†, heavy wet; grog, toddy, flip, purl, punch, negus^†, cup, bishop, wassail; gin etc. (intoxicating liquor) 959; coffee, chocolate, cocoa, tea, the cup that cheers but not inebriates; bock beer, lager beer, Pilsener beer, schenck beer^†; Brazil tea, cider, claret, ice water, mate, mint julep [U.S.]; near beer, 3.   2 beer, non-alcoholic beverage.    eating house etc. 189.    [person who eats] diner; hippophage; glutton etc. 957.    ... show more

Roget 840: amusement, entertainment, recreation, fun, game, fun and games; diversion, divertissement; reaction, solace; pastime, passetemps [Fr.], sport; labor of love; pleasure etc. 827.    relaxation; leisure etc. 685.    fun, frolic, merriment, jollity; joviality, jovialness^†; heyday; laughter etc. 838; jocosity, jocoseness^†; drollery, buffoonery, tomfoolery; mummery, pleasantry; wit etc. 842; quip, quirk.    [verbal expressions of amusement: list] giggle, titter, snigger, snicker, crow, cheer, chuckle, shout; horse laugh, belly laugh, hearty laugh; guffaw; burst of laughter, fit of laughter, shout of laughter, roar of laughter, peal of laughter; cachinnation^†; Kentish fire; tiger.    play; game, game at romps; gambol, romp, prank, antic, rig, lark, spree, skylarking, vagary, monkey trick, gambade, fredaine^†, escapade, echappee [Fr.], bout, espieglerie [Fr.]; practical joke etc. (ridicule) 856.    dance; hop, reel, rigadoon^†, saraband^†, hornpipe, bolero, ballroom dance; [ballroom dances: list], minuet, waltz, polka, fox trot, tango, samba, rhumba, twist, stroll, hustle, cha-cha; fandango, cancan; bayadere^†; breakdown, cake-walk, cornwallis [U.S.], break dancing; nautch-girl; shindig [U.S.]; skirtdance^†, stag dance, Virginia reel, square dance; galop^†, galopade^†; jig, Irish jig, fling, strathspey^†; allemande [Fr.]; gavot^†, gavotte, tarantella; mazurka, morisco^†, morris dance; quadrille; country dance, folk dance; cotillon, Sir Roger de Coverley; ballet etc. (drama) 599; ball; bal, bal masque, bal costume; masquerade; Terpsichore.    festivity, merrymaking; party etc. (social gathering) 892; blowout [U.S.], hullabaloo, hoedown, bat [U.S.], bum [U.S.], bust [Slang], clambake [U.S.], donation party [U.S.], fish fry [U.S.], jamboree [Slang], kantikoy^†, nautch^†, randy, squantum [U.S.], tear [Slang], Turnerfest^†, yule log; fete, festival, gala, ridotto^†; revels, revelry, reveling; carnival, brawl, saturnalia, high jinks; feast, banquet etc. (food) 298; regale, symposium, wassail; carouse, carousal; jollification, junket, wake, Irish wake, picnic, fete champetre [Fr.], regatta, field day; treat.    round of pleasures, dissipation, a short life and a merry one, racketing, holiday making.    rejoicing etc. 838; jubilee etc. (celebration) 883.    bonfire, fireworks, feu-de-joie, firecracker.    holiday; gala day, red letter day, play day; high days and holidays; high holiday, Bank holiday; May day, Derby day; Saint Monday, Easter Monday, Whit Monday; Bairam^†; wayz-goos^†, bean feast; Arbor Day, Declaration Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Memorial Day, Thanksgiving Day; Mardi gras [Fr.], mi-careme [Fr.], feria [Lat.], fiesta.    place of amusement, theater; hall, concert room, ballroom, assemblyroom^†; music hall.    park, plaisance^†; national park, national forest, state park, county park, city park, vest-pocket park, public park (public) 737.1; arbor; garden etc. (horticulture) 371; pleasure ground, playground, cricketground, croquet ground, archery ground, hunting ground; tennis court, racket court; bowling alley, green alley; croquet lawn, rink, glaciarum^†, skating rink; roundabout, merry-go-round; swing; montagne Russe [Fr.].    game of chance, game of skill.    athletic sports, gymnastics; archery, rifle shooting; tournament, pugilism etc. (contention) 720; sports etc. 622; horse racing, the turf; aquatics etc. 267; skating, sliding; cricket, tennis, lawn tennis; hockey, football, baseball, soccer, ice hockey, basketball; rackets, fives, trap bat and ball, battledore and shuttlecock, la grace; pall-mall, tipcat^†, croquet, golf, curling, pallone^†, polo, water polo; tent pegging; tilting at the ring, quintain [Mediev.]; greasy pole; quoits, horseshoes, discus; rounders, lacrosse; tobogganing, water polo; knurr and spell^†.    [childrens' games] leapfrog, hop skip and jump; mother may I; French and English, tug of war; blindman's bluff, hunt the slopper^†, hide and seek, kiss in the ring; snapdragon; cross questions and crooked answers.   ; crisscross, hopscotch; jacks, jackstones^†, marbles; mumblety-peg, mumble-the-peg, pushball, shinney, shinny, tag &c.; billiards, pool, pingpong, pyramids, bagatelle; bowls, skittles, ninepins, kain^†, American bowls^†; tenpins [U.S.], tivoli.    cards, card games; whist, rubber; round game; loo, cribbage, besique^†, euchre, drole^†, ecarte [Fr.], picquet^†, allfours^†, quadrille, omber, reverse, Pope Joan, commit; boston, boaston^†; blackjack, twenty-one, vingtun [Fr.]; quinze [Fr.], thirty-one, put, speculation, connections, brag, cassino^†, lottery, commerce, snip-snap-snoren^†, lift smoke, blind hookey, Polish bank, Earl of Coventry, Napoleon, patience, pairs; banker; blind poker, draw poker, straight poker, stud poker; bluff, bridge, bridge whist; lotto, monte, three-card monte, nap, penny-ante, poker, reversis^†, squeezers, old maid, fright, beggar-my-neighbor; baccarat.    [cards: list] ace, king, queen, knave, jack, ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, trey, deuce; joker; trump, wild card.    [card suits: list] spades, hearts, clubs, diamonds; major suit, minor suit.    bower; right bower, left bower; dummy; jackpot; deck.    [hands at poker: list] pair, two pair, three of a kind, straight, flush, full-house, four of a kind, royal flush; misere &c.. [board games: list] chess, draughts, checkers, checquers, backgammon, dominos, merelles^†, nine men's morris, go bang, solitaire; game of fox and goose; monopoly; loto &c.; [word games: list], scrabble, scribbage, boggle, crossword puzzle, hangman.    morra^†; gambling etc. (chance) 621.    toy, plaything, bauble; doll etc. (puppet ) 554; teetotum^†; knickknack etc. (trifle) 643; magic lantern etc. (show) 448; peep show, puppet show, raree show, gallanty show^†; toy shop; quips and cranks and wanton wiles, nods and becks quips and cranks and wanton wiles, nods and becks and wreathed smiles" [Milton]. entertainer, showman, showgirl; dancer, tap dancer, song-and-dance man; vaudeville act; singer; musician etc. 416.    sportsman, gamester, reveler; master of ceremonies, master of revels; pompom girl^†; arbiter elegantiarum [Lat.]; arbiter bibendi [Lat.], archer, fan [U.S.], toxophilite^†, turfman^†.    ... show more

Roget 892: sociality, sociability, sociableness etc. adj.; social intercourse; consociation^†; intercourse, intercommunity^†; consortship^†, companionship, comradeship; clubbism^†; esprit de corps.    conviviality; good fellowship, good company; joviality, jollity, savoir vivre [Fr.], festivity, festive board, merrymaking; loving cup^†; hospitality, heartiness; cheer.    welcome, welcomeness; greeting; hearty welcome, hearty reception, warm reception; urbanity etc. (courtesy) 894; familiarity.    good fellow, jolly fellow; bon enfant [Fr.], bawcock^†.    social circle, family circle; circle of acquaintance, coterie, society, company.    social gathering, social reunion; assembly etc. (assemblage) 72; barbecue [U.S.], bee; corn-husking [U.S.], corn-shucking [U.S.]; house raising, barn raising; husking, husking-bee [U.S.]; infare^†.    party, entertainment, reception, levee, at, home, conversazione [It], soiree, matin_ee; evening party, morning party, afternoon party, bridge party, garden party, surprise party; kettle, kettle drum; partie carr_ee [Fr.], dish of tea, ridotto^†, rout^†; housewarming; ball, festival &c.; smoker, smoker-party; sociable [U.S.], stag party, hen party, tamasha^†; tea-party, tea-fight [Slang].    (amusement) 840; the feast of reason and the flow of soul" [Pope]. birthday party [parties for specific occasions], Christmas party, New Year's Eve party, Thanksgiving Day Dinner; bonenkai [Jap.]; wedding reception.    visiting; round of visits; call, morning call; interview etc. (conversation) 588; assignation; tryst, trysting place; appointment.    club etc. (association) 712.    ... show more

Dutch: verstrooiing, vermakelijkheid, vermaak, amusement, entertainment, kijkgenot, vertier
Polish: rozrywka