Beguile, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Beguiled; p. pr. & vb. n. Beguiling.]
1. To delude by guile, artifice, or craft; to deceive or impose on, as by a false statement; to lure. The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat. Gen. iii. 13.
2. To elude, or evade by craft; to foil. [Obs.] When misery could beguile the tyrant's rage. Shak.
3. To cause the time of to pass without notice; to relieve the tedium or weariness of; to while away; to divert. Ballads . . . to beguile his incessant wayfaring. W. Irving.
Syn. -- To delude; deceive; cheat; insnare; mislead; amuse; divert; entertain.
Shades of meaning
Fernald has no entry of its own for beguile; he lists it under entertain.
Where he writes about it:
To beguile is, as it were, to cheat into cheer and comfort by something that insensibly draws thought or feeling away from pain or disquiet. — from entertain
We beguile a weary hour, cheer the despondent, divert the preoccupied, enliven a dull evening or company, gratify our friends' wishes, entertain, interest, please a listening audience, occupy idle time, disport ourselves when merry, recreate when worn with toil; we amuse ourselves or others with whatever pleasantly passes the time without special exertion, each according to his taste. — from entertain