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Amuse vs Gaiety - What's the difference?

amuse | gaiety |

As a verb amuse

is to entertain or occupy in a pleasant manner; to stir with pleasing emotions.

As a noun gaiety is

  The state of being happy.

amuse

English

Verb

  • To entertain or occupy in a pleasant manner; to stir with pleasing emotions.
    • I watch these movies because they amuse me.
    It always amuses me to hear the funny stories why people haven't got a ticket, but I never let them get in without paying.
  • * Gilpin
    • A group of children amusing themselves with pushing stones from the top [of the cliff], and watching as they plunged into the lake.
  • To cause laughter, to be funny.
  • (archaic) To keep in expectation; to beguile; to delude.
  • * Johnson
    • He amused his followers with idle promises.
  • (archaic) To occupy or engage the attention of; to lose in deep thought; to absorb; also, to distract; to bewilder.
  • * Holland
    • Camillus set upon the Gauls when they were amused in receiving their gold.
  • * Fuller
    • Being amused with grief, fear, and fright, he could not find the house.

    Synonyms

    * entertain, gratify, please, divert, beguile

    Derived terms

    * amusement

    References

    *

    Anagrams

    * ----

    gaiety

    English

    Noun

  • (uncountable)  The state of being happy.
  • * {{quote-book, year=1963, author=(Margery Allingham)
    • , title=(The China Governess) , chapter=2 citation , passage=Now that she had rested and had fed from the luncheon tray Mrs. Broome had just removed, she had reverted to her normal gaiety .  She looked cool in a grey tailored cotton dress with a terracotta scarf and shoes and her hair a black silk helmet.}}
  • (countable)  Merrymaking or festivity.

    • Synonyms

    * (state of being happy) gayness