muse +

1. To divert the attention of someone from serious business by anything trifling, ludicrous, or entertaining.
2. To divert, please with anything light or cheerful.
3. To amuse someone with an anecdote, by telling him/her a story; to amuse oneself with a puzzle, with, by, or in sketching; to be amused with a toy or whimsical person, by tellin a story, at an incident.
4. To cause (time) to pass pleasantly, to entertain agreeably; to "beguile", to while away the time, to enliven.
5. Etymology: from Middle French (1400-1600) amuser, "divert, cause to muse;" from à, "at, to" + muser, "ponder, stare fixedly".

The current meaning "divert, entertain" did not emerge into usage until the 17th century, and the most common application of the verb in the 17th and 18th centuries was to "deceive, cheat". Such meanings seem to have developed from an earlier "bewilder, puzzle", and pointed back to an original sense of "make someone stare open-mouthed". This is thought to link with the probable source of muser, namely muse, an "animal's mouth", from medieval Latin musum from which the English word muzzle came.

Everyone should keep in mind that there is no connection with this muse and the mythological muse from which music and museum are derived.

The sense of "divert from serious business, tickle the fancy of" is recorded from 1631, but through the 18th century, the primary meaning was "deceive, cheat" by first occupying the attention of a person, or people.

1. The pleasurable occupation of one's attention, or diversion of the mind (from serious duties, etc.).
2. Passing from an idle time-wasting diversion, or entertainment.
3. Recreation, relaxation, the pleasurable action upon the mind of anything light and cheerful.
4. Pleasant excitement of the risible faculty by anything droll or grotesque, tickling of the fancy.
5. Anything which lightly and pleasantly diverts the attention, or beguiles the time; a pastime, play, game, means of recreation.

1. Someone who provides diversion; a diverter, an entertainer.
2. In the past, someone who put people in a muse; that which arrests or distracts attention; especially, with things trifling; someone who trifled with people's attention or expectations; a trifler, deceiver, a cheat.

1. Affording pleasing entertainment.
2. Engaging the attention, interesting.
3. To tickle the fancy or to excite the faculty of laughing.

1. To make utterly confused or muddled, as with intoxicating liquor.
2. To put into a stupid stare, to stupefy.

In a bemused or bewildered manner or condition.

In a bemused condition.

1. To be absorbed in one's thoughts; to engage in meditation.
2. To consider or to say thoughtfully: "She mused that it might take longer to drive than to walk."
3. To think about something in a deep and serious, or dreamy, and abstracted way.
4. To say something in a thoughtful or a questioning way.
5. To gaze at someone or something thoughtfully or abstractedly.
6. Etymology: from Old French muser, "to meditate", and perhaps literally "to go around with your nose in the air", from muse, "muzzle, snout", from medieval Latin musum source of the English word muzzle.

Muse comes with the meanings of "ponder, meditate," and implies focused attention, but it suggests a less intellectual purpose.

It often implies absorption and a languid turning over of a topic as if in a dream or in some kind of remembrance.

1. Deeply thoughtful; pensive.
2. Meditative; thoughtfully silent.

1. The projecting part of an animal's face, made up of its nose and jaws.
2. A device that is strapped over the nose and jaws of an animal to prevent it from opening its mouth, e.g. to bite, bark, or eat.
3. The front open end of the barrel of a firearm.
4. Something that is meant to prevent free expression; such as, to muzzle the press when reporting on a military operation.
5. Transitive verb forms: (past and past participle muzzled, present participle muzzling, 3rd person present singular muzzles):
6. To put a muzzle over the nose and jaws of an animal.
7. To prevent a person or group from publicly expressing their views or opinions.
8. To roll up and secure a sail.
9. Etymology: from Middle English mosel, from Old French musel, from Medieval Latin musellum, diminutive of musum, "muzzle, snout".

1. To overcome with bewilderment.
2. To muse too much; to weary or to bewilder oneself by excessive meditation.

Not amused; not considered entertaining nor amusing.