From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishentertain an idea/hope/thought etcentertain an idea/hope/thought etcformalTHINK something/HAVE A THOUGHT to consider an idea etc, or allow yourself to think that something might happen or be true She could never entertain the idea of living in the country. → entertain
Examples from the Corpus
entertain an idea/hope/thought etc• He had entertained thoughts of marrying her and raising a family, but he entered the Society instead.• Most significantly on my sense of a distant but still valid national identity-until then I had entertained hopes of return. 