displease

[dis-pleez]

See more synonyms for displease on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object), dis·pleased, dis·pleas·ing.

to incur the dissatisfaction, dislike, or disapproval of; offend; annoy: His reply displeased the judge.

verb (used without object), dis·pleased, dis·pleas·ing.

to be unpleasant; cause displeasure: Bad weather displeases.

Origin of displease

1300–50; Middle English desplesen < Anglo-French, Middle French desplaisir. See dis-¹, please

Related formsdis·pleas·ing·ly, adverbdis·pleas·ing·ness, nounself-dis·pleased, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for displeasing

Historical Examples

In order to avoid despising or displeasing our parents, what should we not do?
An Explanation of Luther's Small Catechism
Joseph Stump
His mother's conversation, too, had been displeasing to him.
The Foolish Lovers
St. John G. Ervine
I shall tell you what will be displeasing and wearisome,5 yet true.
Apology, Crito, and Phaedo of Socrates
Plato
Then he sniffed as if the air contained an odor that was displeasing to him.
A Waif of the Mountains
Edward S. Ellis
He does what he knows would be displeasing to his parents, and he sets a bad example.
The Teacher
Jacob Abbott

British Dictionary definitions for displeasing

displease

verb

to annoy, offend, or cause displeasure to (someone)

Derived Formsdispleasing, adjectivedispleasingly, adverb

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for displeasing

displease

v.

early 14c., from Old French desplais-, present tense stem of desplaisir "to displease" (13c.), from Latin displicere "displease," from dis- "not" (see dis-) + placere "to please" (see please). Related: Displeased; displeasing.

displease

Origin of .css-1fxfie5{font-size:22px;}@media (max-width:768px){.css-1fxfie5{font-size:18px;margin:0 10px 10px 0;word-break:break-all;word-wrap:break-word;-webkit-hyphens:auto;-moz-hyphens:auto;-ms-hyphens:auto;hyphens:auto;line-height:22px;}}displease

Examples from the Web for displeasing

Historical Examples

In order to avoid despising or displeasing our parents, what should we not do?

His mother's conversation, too, had been displeasing to him.

I shall tell you what will be displeasing and wearisome,5 yet true.

Then he sniffed as if the air contained an odor that was displeasing to him.

He does what he knows would be displeasing to his parents, and he sets a bad example.

displease

Word Origin and History for displeasing

displease

v.

Origin of displease