Pleasure

Pronunciation

• UK IPA: /ˈplɛʒə/
• US enPR: plÄ•zhʹər, IPA: /ˈplɛʒɚ/
• Rhymes: -ɛʒə(r)

Origin

From Early Modern English pleasur, plesur, alteration (with ending accommodated to -ure), 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.

Full definition of pleasure

Noun

1. (uncountable) A state of being pleased.
   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, 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.
2. (countable) A person, thing or action that causes enjoyment.
   It was a pleasure to meet you.
   Having a good night's sleep is one of life's little pleasures.
• Bible, Acts xxv. 9Festus, willing to do the Jews a pleasure
• 1898, Winston Churchill, The Celebrity Chapter 8, The humor of my proposition appealed more strongly to Miss Trevor than I had looked for, and from that time forward she became her old self again;.... Now she had come to look upon the matter in its true proportions, and her anticipation of a possible chance of teaching him a lesson was a pleasure to behold.
• 2013-05-17, George Monbiot, Money just makes the rich suffer, In order to grant the rich these pleasures, the social contract is reconfigured. The welfare state is dismantled. …
3. (uncountable) One's preference.
   What is your pleasure: coffee or tea?
4. (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
   at Congress's pleasure: whenever or as long as Congress desires
• Bible, Isaiah xlviii. 14He will do his pleasure on Babylon.
• William Shakespeare (1564-1616)Use your pleasure; if your love do not persuade you to come, let not my letter.

Synonyms

• (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

• pain
• displeasure

Derived terms

Interjection

1. pleasure to meet you, pleased to meet you

Related terms

• displeasure
• please
• pleasant

Verb

1. (transitive) To give or afford pleasure to; to please; to gratify.
• TennysonRolled his hoop to pleasure Edith.
2. (transitive) to give pleasure (especially sexual pleasure) toJohnny pleasured Jackie orally last night.
3. (intransitive, dated) To take pleasure; to seek or pursue pleasure.to go pleasuring