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Previous Thread Next Thread Print Thread amuse #106871 07/01/2003 10:32 PM Joined: Jan 2001 Posts: 13,858 wwh Carpal Tunnel wwh Carpal Tunnel Joined: Jan 2001 Posts: 13,858 In reading Plutarch's Life of Sulla, (aka Sylla)as translated by Dryden, Sulla detaches a decoy force to keep Archelaus occupied while Sulla made preparations for a battle: "Sylla, after one day's respite, having left Murena behind him with one legion and two cohorts to amuse the enemy with continual alarms, himself went and sacrificed on the banks of Cephisus, and the holy rites ended, held on towards Chaeronea to receive the forces there and view Mount Thurium, where a party of the enemy had posted themselves." An illustration of how the meaning of "amuse" has changed. Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: amuse #106872 07/02/2003 9:41 AM Joined: Mar 2002 Posts: 1,692 UK dxb Pooh-Bah dxb Pooh-Bah Joined: Mar 2002 Posts: 1,692 UK An illustration of how the meaning of "amuse" has changed. I don’t know, Dr Bill. In a similar situation we might express ourselves in that way today, using “That’ll keep them amused” ironically in the sense of keeping them occupied, providing a diversion. Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Moderated by  Jackie  Hop To General Topics ------  Information and announcements  Q&A about words  Wordplay and fun  Words and languages in schools  Miscellany  Weekly Themes  Looking for (writers, speakers,... (Old) Weekly themes. (have been... ------  Words from medicine  Beheading words  Meta-words  Words from classical mythology  Animal Safari  Words with unusual etymologies  Eponyms or words derived from p...  Loanwords from German  English as a global language Print Thread Switch to Threaded Mode Show Likes Link Copied to Clipboard View Profile Private Message Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary View Profile Private Message Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary

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