displease

English

Etymology

From Middle English displesen, from Anglo-Norman despleisir, desplere, from Old French desplere, from des- + plere.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /dɪsˈpliːz/

• Audio (UK)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -iːz
• Hyphenation: dis‧please

Verb

displease (third-person singular simple present displeases, present participle displeasing, simple past and past participle displeased)

1. (transitive) To make not pleased; to cause a feeling of disapprobation or dislike in; to be disagreeable to; to vex slightly.

   The boy's rudeness displeased me.

   I felt displeased with the boy.

   • 1662, Thomas Cranmer [et al.], compilers, “The Psalms, Sixteenth Day, Evening Prayer”, in The Book of Common-Prayer, and Administration of the Sacraments, […], London: Printed by John Bill, and Christopher Barker, […], OCLC 1053343847, column 1, psalm 85, line 5:

     Wilt thou be displeased at us forever: and wilt thou stretch out thy wrath from one generation to another?

2. (intransitive) To give displeasure or offense.
3. (transitive, obsolete) To fail to satisfy; to miss of.
   • 1619, Beaumont, Francis; Fletcher, John, The Maid's Tragedy, act 4, scene 1:

     I shall displease my ends else.

Synonyms

• misplease

Antonyms

• please

Related terms

• displeasure

Translations

to fail to please or satisfy

• Esperanto: malplaĉi
• German: missfallen (de)
• Greek:

  Ancient: ἀπαρέσκω (aparéskō)

• Latin: displiceō
• Maori: whakaahu

See also

• affront
• anger
• annoy
• chafe
• disgust
• dissatisfy
• offend
• provoke
• vex

Further reading

• displease in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• displease in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911
• displease at OneLook Dictionary Search