pleasure
Definition from Wiktionary, the free dictionary
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English [edit]
Etymology [edit]
From Middle English, alteration of Middle English plaisir (“pleasure”), from Old French plesir, plaisir (“to please”), infinitive used as a noun, conjugated form of plaisir or plaire, from Latin placēre (“to please, to seem good”), from the Proto-Indo-European *plā-k- (“wide and flat”). More at please.
Pronunciation [edit]
- (UK) IPA: /ˈplɛʒə/, X-SAMPA: /"plEZ@/
- (US) enPR: plĕzhʹər, IPA: /ˈplɛʒɚ/, X-SAMPA: /"plEZ@`/
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Audio (US) (file) - Rhymes: -ɛʒə(r)
Noun [edit]
pleasure (plural pleasures)
- (uncountable) A state of being pleased.
- 2012 April 22, Sam Sheringham, “Liverpool 0-1 West Brom”, BBC Sport:
- But the only statistic that will concern West Brom will be the scoreline, and their manager Roy Hodgson will take considerable pleasure from a victory over the club he managed for just 191 days.
- He remembered with pleasure his home and family.
- I get a lot of pleasure from watching others work hard while I relax.
- 2012 April 22, Sam Sheringham, “Liverpool 0-1 West Brom”, BBC Sport:
- (countable) A person, thing or action that causes enjoyment.
- 2013 May 17, George Monbiot, “Money just makes the rich suffer”, The Guardian Weekly, volume 188, number 23, page 19:
- In order to grant the rich these pleasures, the social contract is reconfigured. The welfare state is dismantled. […]
- It was a pleasure to meet you.
- The puppy was a pleasure.
- Having a good night's sleep is one of life's little pleasures.
- 2013 May 17, George Monbiot, “Money just makes the rich suffer”, The Guardian Weekly, volume 188, number 23, page 19:
- (uncountable) One's preference.
- What is your pleasure, coffee or tea?
- (formal) (uncountable) The will or desire of someone or some agency in power.
- to hold an office at pleasure: to hold it indefinitely until it is revoked
- to be imprisoned at Her Majesty's pleasure: to be imprisoned indefinitely
- at Congress's pleasure: whenever or as long as Congress desires
Synonyms [edit]
- (state of mind) delight, gladness, gratification, happiness, indulgence, satisfaction
- (person or thing that causes enjoyment): delight, joy
- (preference) desire, fancy, want, will, wish
- (will or desire of party in power) discretion
Antonyms [edit]
Translations [edit]
a state of being pleased
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person or thing that causes enjoyment
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one's preference
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the will or desire of someone or some agency in power
Translations [edit]
one's preference
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Derived terms [edit]
Related terms
Interjection [edit]
pleasure
Related terms [edit]
Verb [edit]
pleasure (third-person singular simple present pleasures, present participle pleasuring, simple past and past participle pleasured)
- (transitive) to give pleasure (especially sexual pleasure) to
- Johnny pleasured Jackie orally last night.
- (intransitive, dated) To take pleasure; to seek or pursue pleasure.
- to go pleasuring
External links [edit]
- pleasure in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
- pleasure in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911
Categories:
- English terms derived from Middle English
- English terms derived from Old French
- English terms derived from Latin
- English terms derived from Proto-Indo-European
- English nouns
- English uncountable nouns
- English countable nouns
- English formal terms
- English interjections
- English verbs
- English dated terms
- 1000 English basic words
