entertain

Kazuo IshiguroのThe Remains of the Dayから取り上げる最初の単語です。The Remains of the Dayも前に読んだイシグロ氏のPale View of Hillsと同様に、現在と過去を行き来する一人称で書かれている小説です。Pale View of Hillsと異なり、舞台は英国だけで、主人公の執事も英国人なので、使われている英語の表現が違う感じがします。　執事のStevensは新しいDarlington Hallの主人、Mr. Faradayに使えますが、使用人が減った事で苦労している様です。
The fact is, over the past few months, I have been responsible for a series of small errors in the carrying out of my duties. I should say that these errors have all been without exception quite trivial in themselves. Nevertheless, I think you will understand that to one not accustomed to committing such errors, this development was rather disturbing, and I did not in fact begin to entertain all sorts of alarmist theories as to their cause.
この引用文にある "entertain" は、私が知っている意味の楽しませる、接待するなどとは大分違う意味の様です。　辞書を見ます。
・Merriam-Webster's Online Dictionary: a: to keep, hold, or maintain in the mind; I entertain grave doubts about her sincerity. b: to receive and take into consideration: refused to entertain our plea
・Vocabulary.com: Entertaining an idea means to have it mind or under consideration. For example, you never thought of studying abroad, but after a professor said it was one of the most meaningful experiences of his life, you started to entertain the idea of living in a foreign country.
1. take into consideration, have in view: “He entertained the notion of moving to South America”
2. maintain (a theory, thoughts, or feelings): “entertain interesting notions”
なるほど、この "entertain" の意味はしっかりと覚えたい。